GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
Best States to Be a Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers salary goes furthest in Texas — a $145,220 BLS median worth $149,623 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 165.4).
Which US states are best for a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers after cost of living and tax?
For a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Texas #1: a $145,220 BLS median becomes $149,623 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 165.4). Connecticut ranks last ($57,865, index 64.0). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Texas ranks #1 of 50 states for a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers. Index 100 = the average state; 165.4 means pay goes 65.4% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedGeoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | $145,220 | — | 97.1 | $149,623 | 165.4 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | $119,990 | $5,162 | 87.8 | $130,720 | 144.5 |
| 3 | Mississippi | $112,400 | $4,140 | 87.0 | $124,504 | 137.7 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $121,010 | $4,189 | 102.3 | $114,217 | 126.3 |
| 5 | Colorado | $114,410 | $4,374 | 103.1 | $106,777 | 118.1 |
| 6 | Alaska | $107,410 | — | 102.4 | $104,935 | 116.0 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $91,560 | $2,372 | 88.2 | $101,112 | 111.8 |
| 8 | Maryland | $110,510 | $4,928 | 105.0 | $100,594 | 111.2 |
| 9 | Nevada | $99,890 | — | 100.0 | $99,911 | 110.5 |
| 10 | Washington | $105,020 | — | 107.0 | $98,138 | 108.5 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $108,210 | $5,191 | 105.8 | $97,412 | 107.7 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $95,260 | $3,507 | 94.3 | $97,273 | 107.5 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $101,150 | — | 104.2 | $97,106 | 107.4 |
| 14 | Alabama | $88,610 | $4,166 | 88.8 | $95,071 | 105.1 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $84,070 | $402 | 89.0 | $94,053 | 104.0 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $88,530 | $3,061 | 92.2 | $92,688 | 102.5 |
| 17 | Illinois | $96,950 | $4,658 | 100.0 | $92,331 | 102.1 |
| 18 | Florida | $95,140 | — | 103.4 | $91,999 | 101.7 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $85,550 | $3,352 | 90.1 | $91,226 | 100.9 |
| 20 | Idaho | $91,170 | $4,072 | 95.5 | $91,208 | 100.8 |
| 21 | California | $106,500 | $5,783 | 110.7 | $90,966 | 100.6 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $106,270 | $6,546 | 110.0 | $90,698 | 100.3 |
| 23 | Delaware | $93,640 | $4,839 | 99.8 | $88,972 | 98.4 |
| 24 | Missouri | $83,390 | $3,038 | 90.8 | $88,476 | 97.8 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $86,070 | $3,729 | 93.7 | $87,831 | 97.1 |
| 26 | Oregon | $98,110 | $7,781 | 103.4 | $87,392 | 96.6 |
| 27 | Utah | $89,990 | $4,095 | 98.9 | $86,882 | 96.1 |
| 28 | Ohio | $81,220 | $1,451 | 92.8 | $85,982 | 95.1 |
| 29 | Vermont | $87,070 | $3,365 | 98.0 | $85,450 | 94.5 |
| 30 | Maine | $86,840 | $4,260 | 97.0 | $85,090 | 94.1 |
| 31 | Kansas | $80,080 | $3,669 | 90.1 | $84,837 | 93.8 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $77,870 | — | 91.9 | $84,761 | 93.7 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $84,180 | $2,584 | 97.6 | $83,626 | 92.5 |
| 34 | Virginia | $88,390 | $4,283 | 101.1 | $83,189 | 92.0 |
| 35 | Arizona | $85,190 | $1,655 | 100.7 | $82,974 | 91.7 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $77,510 | $2,970 | 90.2 | $82,677 | 91.4 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $76,060 | $2,731 | 89.5 | $81,934 | 90.6 |
| 38 | Iowa | $74,460 | $2,789 | 87.8 | $81,665 | 90.3 |
| 39 | Michigan | $80,990 | $3,196 | 96.2 | $80,853 | 89.4 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $74,910 | — | 92.7 | $80,817 | 89.4 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $78,610 | $3,014 | 94.1 | $80,340 | 88.8 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $71,150 | — | 88.6 | $80,317 | 88.8 |
| 43 | New Jersey | $88,500 | $3,448 | 108.8 | $78,170 | 86.4 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $80,540 | $3,988 | 98.6 | $77,623 | 85.8 |
| 45 | Montana | $75,520 | $3,317 | 94.6 | $76,288 | 84.3 |
| 46 | New York | $86,410 | $4,148 | 107.9 | $76,225 | 84.3 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $67,880 | $2,439 | 86.9 | $75,274 | 83.2 |
| 48 | Georgia | $73,920 | $3,337 | 96.3 | $73,300 | 81.0 |
| 49 | Indiana | $68,240 | $2,017 | 93.3 | $70,956 | 78.5 |
| 50 | Connecticut | $61,810 | $1,856 | 103.6 | $57,865 | 64.0 |
"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.
In Texas, a $145,220 salary is worth about $149,623 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $145,220 · BEA cost of living 97.1 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $163,931, a $14,308 gain over Texas.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $163,931 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $160,526 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $159,696 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $159,661 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $159,182 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $159,163 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $158,071 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $157,465 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $156,671 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $155,319 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $154,628 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $154,441 | 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).
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Texas is the best state for a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers: a BLS median of $145,220 is worth $149,623 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 97.1), an index of 165.4 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Texas has the highest headline BLS median for a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers at $145,220, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 50 on real pay (index 165.4). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers salary go least far?
- Connecticut ranks last of 50 states for a geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers: a $61,810 BLS median is worth only $57,865 after tax and cost of living (index 64.0). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
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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 geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.