Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. New York has the highest headline BLS median for a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare at $96,810, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 50 on real pay (index 148.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare

Best States to Be a Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary goes furthest in New York — a $96,810 BLS median worth $85,294 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 148.8).

Which US states are best for a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare after cost of living and tax?

For a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks New York #1: a $96,810 BLS median becomes $85,294 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 148.8). Alabama ranks last ($44,984, index 78.5). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

New York ranks #1 of 50 states for a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare. Index 100 = the average state; 148.8 means pay goes 48.8% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

148.8

Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	New York	$96,810	$4,760	107.9	$85,294	148.8
2	Alaska	$75,540	—	102.4	$73,799	128.7
3	South Dakota	$63,240	—	88.6	$71,388	124.5
4	New Jersey	$78,770	$2,828	108.8	$69,797	121.7
5	District of Columbia	$77,850	$3,742	109.9	$67,431	117.6
6	Washington	$70,470	—	107.0	$65,852	114.9
7	Massachusetts	$70,320	$3,296	105.8	$63,375	110.5
8	Vermont	$63,220	$1,791	98.0	$62,710	109.4
9	Wisconsin	$59,930	$2,024	94.1	$61,540	107.3
10	Indiana	$58,740	$1,732	93.3	$61,083	106.5
11	Kansas	$56,970	$2,379	90.1	$60,611	105.7
12	Wyoming	$56,170	—	92.7	$60,599	105.7
13	Colorado	$64,620	$2,183	103.1	$60,588	105.7
14	Nebraska	$56,160	$1,824	90.1	$60,304	105.2
15	Nevada	$60,120	—	100.0	$60,133	104.9
16	Minnesota	$62,020	$2,728	98.6	$60,121	104.9
17	Georgia	$60,300	$2,603	96.3	$59,918	104.5
18	Maine	$60,090	$2,441	97.0	$59,401	103.6
19	Utah	$60,980	$2,775	98.9	$58,874	102.7
20	North Carolina	$57,200	$1,889	94.3	$58,638	102.3
21	California	$67,100	$2,236	110.7	$58,584	102.2
22	North Dakota	$51,390	—	89.0	$57,768	100.8
23	Maryland	$62,520	$2,637	105.0	$57,054	99.5
24	Michigan	$56,870	$2,170	96.2	$56,850	99.2
25	Hawaii	$65,080	$3,416	110.0	$56,083	97.8
26	Pennsylvania	$56,380	$1,731	97.6	$56,009	97.7
27	Connecticut	$59,760	$1,764	103.6	$55,975	97.6
28	Illinois	$58,550	$2,757	100.0	$55,816	97.4
29	Delaware	$58,230	$2,555	99.8	$55,782	97.3
30	Mississippi	$49,740	$1,383	87.0	$55,612	97.0
31	Florida	$56,750	—	103.4	$54,877	95.7
32	Oregon	$60,250	$4,468	103.4	$53,968	94.1
33	Tennessee	$49,200	—	91.9	$53,554	93.4
34	South Carolina	$51,200	$1,567	93.7	$52,942	92.3
35	New Hampshire	$55,120	—	104.2	$52,916	92.3
36	Ohio	$49,580	$581	92.8	$52,815	92.1
37	Rhode Island	$55,290	$1,473	102.3	$52,617	91.8
38	Texas	$50,840	—	97.1	$52,382	91.4
39	Iowa	$47,480	$1,764	87.8	$52,091	90.9
40	Missouri	$47,940	$1,372	90.8	$51,276	89.4
41	Oklahoma	$46,690	$1,680	87.8	$51,239	89.4
42	Louisiana	$46,030	$1,006	88.2	$51,044	89.0
43	Virginia	$53,320	$2,266	101.1	$50,496	88.1
44	Arkansas	$44,990	$1,546	86.9	$49,972	87.2
45	West Virginia	$45,660	$1,328	89.5	$49,535	86.4
46	Idaho	$48,530	$1,643	95.5	$49,099	85.6
47	Montana	$48,140	$1,702	94.6	$49,065	85.6
48	Kentucky	$44,530	$1,650	90.2	$47,560	83.0
49	Arizona	$48,160	$729	100.7	$47,112	82.2
50	Alabama	$41,780	$1,824	88.8	$44,984	78.5

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 50 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In New York, a $96,810 salary is worth about $79,927 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $10,552 (≈ top marginal 10.90% (upper bound)) · take-home $86,258 · BEA cost of living 107.9 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $109,284, a $29,357 gain over New York.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$109,284	88.6
2	Arkansas	$107,014	86.9
3	Louisiana	$106,461	88.2
4	Mississippi	$106,437	87.0
5	Iowa	$106,118	87.8
6	North Dakota	$106,105	89.0
7	Tennessee	$105,377	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$104,973	87.8
9	Wyoming	$104,444	92.7
10	Alabama	$103,542	88.8
11	Kentucky	$103,082	90.2
12	West Virginia	$102,957	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, New York is the best state for a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare: a BLS median of $96,810 is worth $85,294 after the 2025 state income tax ($4,760) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 107.9), an index of 148.8 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. New York has the highest headline BLS median for a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare at $96,810, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 50 on real pay (index 148.8). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare salary go least far?: Alabama ranks last of 50 states for a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare: a $41,780 BLS median is worth only $44,984 after tax and cost of living (index 78.5). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a education and childcare administrators, preschool and daycare is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.