GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Financial and Investment Analysts
Best States to Be a Financial and Investment Analysts
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a financial and investment analysts salary goes furthest in Wyoming — a $187,090 BLS median worth $201,843 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 209.1).
Which US states are best for a financial and investment analysts after cost of living and tax?
For a financial and investment analysts, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Wyoming #1: a $187,090 BLS median becomes $201,843 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 209.1). West Virginia ranks last ($74,458, index 77.1). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Wyoming ranks #1 of 51 states for a financial and investment analysts. Index 100 = the average state; 209.1 means pay goes 109.1% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedFinancial and Investment Analysts — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $187,090 | — | 92.7 | $201,843 | 209.1 |
| 2 | New York | $127,930 | $6,628 | 107.9 | $112,399 | 116.4 |
| 3 | South Dakota | $99,150 | — | 88.6 | $111,925 | 115.9 |
| 4 | Oregon | $120,590 | $9,748 | 103.4 | $107,238 | 111.1 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $102,390 | $3,810 | 94.3 | $104,510 | 108.3 |
| 6 | Missouri | $98,420 | $3,745 | 90.8 | $104,248 | 108.0 |
| 7 | Texas | $99,150 | — | 97.1 | $102,156 | 105.8 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $109,500 | $4,448 | 103.6 | $101,392 | 105.0 |
| 9 | Iowa | $92,370 | $3,470 | 87.8 | $101,297 | 104.9 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $92,990 | — | 91.9 | $101,219 | 104.8 |
| 11 | Idaho | $100,830 | $4,622 | 95.5 | $100,748 | 104.4 |
| 12 | Washington | $107,210 | — | 107.0 | $100,184 | 103.8 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $111,040 | $5,332 | 105.8 | $99,954 | 103.5 |
| 14 | Alaska | $102,240 | — | 102.4 | $99,884 | 103.5 |
| 15 | Montana | $99,190 | $4,714 | 94.6 | $99,821 | 103.4 |
| 16 | Ohio | $94,280 | $1,810 | 92.8 | $99,672 | 103.2 |
| 17 | Virginia | $105,490 | $5,266 | 101.1 | $99,130 | 102.7 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $102,990 | $5,514 | 98.6 | $98,839 | 102.4 |
| 19 | Georgia | $99,420 | $4,712 | 96.3 | $98,354 | 101.9 |
| 20 | Alabama | $91,290 | $4,300 | 88.8 | $97,937 | 101.4 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $95,570 | $3,913 | 94.1 | $97,409 | 100.9 |
| 22 | Colorado | $103,850 | $3,909 | 103.1 | $96,981 | 100.5 |
| 23 | Vermont | $99,090 | $4,158 | 98.0 | $96,911 | 100.4 |
| 24 | Delaware | $101,800 | $5,378 | 99.8 | $96,608 | 100.1 |
| 25 | Illinois | $101,180 | $4,867 | 100.0 | $96,353 | 99.8 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $108,610 | $4,729 | 108.8 | $95,475 | 98.9 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $93,670 | $4,200 | 93.7 | $95,435 | 98.9 |
| 28 | Michigan | $95,420 | $3,809 | 96.2 | $95,213 | 98.6 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $100,550 | $3,217 | 102.3 | $95,163 | 98.6 |
| 30 | California | $109,110 | $6,025 | 110.7 | $93,104 | 96.4 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $87,630 | $3,017 | 92.2 | $91,759 | 95.0 |
| 32 | Maryland | $100,370 | $4,435 | 105.0 | $91,403 | 94.7 |
| 33 | Florida | $94,490 | — | 103.4 | $91,371 | 94.6 |
| 34 | Arizona | $93,540 | $1,864 | 100.7 | $91,060 | 94.3 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $85,320 | $3,340 | 90.1 | $90,984 | 94.2 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $105,780 | $6,116 | 109.9 | $90,685 | 93.9 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $81,110 | $2,955 | 86.9 | $89,899 | 93.1 |
| 38 | Kansas | $84,860 | $3,936 | 90.1 | $89,848 | 93.1 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $79,580 | $2,696 | 87.0 | $88,420 | 91.6 |
| 40 | Utah | $91,370 | $4,157 | 98.9 | $88,215 | 91.4 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $78,170 | $287 | 89.0 | $87,550 | 90.7 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $81,660 | $3,136 | 90.2 | $87,095 | 90.2 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $79,640 | $3,245 | 87.8 | $86,967 | 90.1 |
| 44 | Maine | $88,320 | $4,366 | 97.0 | $86,506 | 89.6 |
| 45 | Indiana | $81,760 | $2,423 | 93.3 | $85,008 | 88.1 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $84,460 | $2,593 | 97.6 | $83,904 | 86.9 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $75,680 | $1,895 | 88.2 | $83,649 | 86.6 |
| 48 | Nevada | $83,430 | — | 100.0 | $83,448 | 86.4 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $94,640 | $5,662 | 110.0 | $80,925 | 83.8 |
| 50 | New Hampshire | $82,520 | — | 104.2 | $79,220 | 82.1 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $69,030 | $2,392 | 89.5 | $74,458 | 77.1 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 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.
In Wyoming, a $187,090 salary is worth about $201,843 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $187,090 · BEA cost of living 92.7 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $211,196, a $9,353 gain over Wyoming.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $211,196 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $206,809 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $205,740 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $205,695 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $205,078 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $205,053 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $203,646 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $202,866 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $201,843 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $200,101 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $199,211 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $198,970 | 89.5 |
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).
Financial and Investment Analysts — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a financial and investment analysts?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Wyoming is the best state for a financial and investment analysts: a BLS median of $187,090 is worth $201,843 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 92.7), an index of 209.1 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Wyoming has the highest headline BLS median for a financial and investment analysts at $187,090, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 209.1). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a financial and investment analysts salary go least far?
- West Virginia ranks last of 51 states for a financial and investment analysts: a $69,030 BLS median is worth only $74,458 after tax and cost of living (index 77.1). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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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 financial and investment analysts is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.