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

Not necessarily. Alaska has the highest headline BLS median for a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers at $98,110, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 51 on real pay (index 118.1). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

Best States to Be a First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers salary goes furthest in North Dakota — a $90,600 BLS median worth $101,250 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 124.7).

Which US states are best for a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers after cost of living and tax?

For a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Dakota #1: a $90,600 BLS median becomes $101,250 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 124.7). District of Columbia ranks last ($72,102, index 88.8). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 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

North Dakota ranks #1 of 51 states for a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers. Index 100 = the average state; 124.7 means pay goes 24.7% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

124.7

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	North Dakota	$90,600	$529	89.0	$101,250	124.7
2	Alaska	$98,110	—	102.4	$95,849	118.1
3	Wyoming	$87,460	—	92.7	$94,357	116.2
4	South Dakota	$80,810	—	88.6	$91,222	112.4
5	Washington	$94,420	—	107.0	$88,232	108.7
6	Connecticut	$94,050	$3,598	103.6	$87,301	107.5
7	Iowa	$78,340	$2,937	87.8	$85,918	105.8
8	Wisconsin	$82,570	$3,224	94.1	$84,325	103.9
9	Oklahoma	$77,040	$3,122	87.8	$84,148	103.7
10	New Hampshire	$87,560	—	104.2	$84,059	103.5
11	Minnesota	$87,160	$4,438	98.6	$83,879	103.3
12	Louisiana	$75,550	$1,892	88.2	$83,506	102.9
13	Ohio	$78,730	$1,383	92.8	$83,372	102.7
14	Nebraska	$77,850	$2,952	90.1	$83,125	102.4
15	Massachusetts	$92,250	$4,393	105.8	$83,075	102.3
16	Kansas	$78,390	$3,574	90.1	$83,066	102.3
17	Indiana	$79,650	$2,360	93.3	$82,815	102.0
18	Tennessee	$75,830	—	91.9	$82,541	101.7
19	Missouri	$77,470	$2,760	90.8	$82,264	101.3
20	Montana	$81,440	$3,667	94.6	$82,174	101.2
21	Kentucky	$76,760	$2,940	90.2	$81,878	100.9
22	New Jersey	$92,680	$3,714	108.8	$81,767	100.7
23	Vermont	$83,050	$3,100	98.0	$81,617	100.5
24	New Mexico	$77,550	$2,531	92.2	$81,355	100.2
25	California	$93,660	$4,589	110.7	$80,448	99.1
26	New York	$91,150	$4,421	107.9	$80,364	99.0
27	Alabama	$74,830	$3,477	88.8	$80,332	99.0
28	Nevada	$79,860	—	100.0	$79,877	98.4
29	Delaware	$83,250	$4,154	99.8	$79,249	97.6
30	Illinois	$83,180	$3,976	100.0	$79,237	97.6
31	Arkansas	$71,460	$2,578	86.9	$79,232	97.6
32	Texas	$76,760	—	97.1	$79,088	97.4
33	Pennsylvania	$79,400	$2,438	97.6	$78,878	97.2
34	Mississippi	$70,900	$2,314	87.0	$78,877	97.2
35	North Carolina	$76,800	$2,722	94.3	$78,534	96.7
36	Colorado	$83,260	$3,003	103.1	$77,880	95.9
37	Maine	$79,260	$3,735	97.0	$77,820	95.9
38	Michigan	$77,810	$3,060	96.2	$77,689	95.7
39	Oregon	$86,970	$6,806	103.4	$77,557	95.5
40	West Virginia	$71,360	$2,505	89.5	$76,936	94.8
41	South Carolina	$75,120	$3,050	93.7	$76,875	94.7
42	Georgia	$77,010	$3,504	96.3	$76,336	94.0
43	Utah	$78,930	$3,591	98.9	$76,204	93.9
44	Virginia	$80,770	$3,845	101.1	$76,085	93.7
45	Idaho	$74,940	$3,147	95.5	$75,180	92.6
46	Maryland	$82,330	$3,578	105.0	$75,031	92.4
47	Hawaii	$87,550	$5,124	110.0	$74,966	92.3
48	Rhode Island	$78,840	$2,357	102.3	$74,779	92.1
49	Arizona	$76,240	$1,431	100.7	$74,306	91.5
50	Florida	$75,900	—	103.4	$73,394	90.4
51	District of Columbia	$83,460	$4,219	109.9	$72,102	88.8

"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.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In North Dakota, a $90,600 salary is worth about $99,299 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $2,265 (≈ top marginal 2.50% (upper bound)) · take-home $88,335 · BEA cost of living 89.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $102,273, a $2,975 gain over North Dakota.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$102,273	88.6
2	Arkansas	$100,149	86.9
3	Louisiana	$99,632	88.2
4	Mississippi	$99,610	87.0
5	Iowa	$99,311	87.8
6	North Dakota	$99,299	89.0
7	Tennessee	$98,618	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$98,239	87.8
9	Wyoming	$97,744	92.7
10	Alabama	$96,901	88.8
11	Kentucky	$96,470	90.2
12	West Virginia	$96,353	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).

First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers: a BLS median of $90,600 is worth $101,250 after the 2025 state income tax ($529) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 124.7 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Alaska has the highest headline BLS median for a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers at $98,110, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 51 on real pay (index 118.1). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers salary go least far?: District of Columbia ranks last of 51 states for a first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers: a $83,460 BLS median is worth only $72,102 after tax and cost of living (index 88.8). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

Compare other occupations

Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS

BLS OEWS updates roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed real-pay rankings when new wage data lands.

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 first-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.