GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
Best States to Be a Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a health specialties teachers, postsecondary salary goes furthest in Utah — a $168,060 BLS median worth $162,257 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 154.5).
Which US states are best for a health specialties teachers, postsecondary after cost of living and tax?
For a health specialties teachers, postsecondary, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Utah #1: a $168,060 BLS median becomes $162,257 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 154.5). West Virginia ranks last ($65,166, index 62.1). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Utah ranks #1 of 50 states for a health specialties teachers, postsecondary. Index 100 = the average state; 154.5 means pay goes 54.5% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedHealth Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | $168,060 | $7,647 | 98.9 | $162,257 | 154.5 |
| 2 | Mississippi | $137,220 | $5,232 | 87.0 | $151,792 | 144.6 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $167,520 | $11,364 | 109.9 | $142,088 | 135.3 |
| 4 | Iowa | $128,490 | $4,843 | 87.8 | $140,889 | 134.2 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $134,600 | $5,318 | 92.2 | $140,200 | 133.5 |
| 6 | California | $165,110 | $11,233 | 110.7 | $138,978 | 132.4 |
| 7 | Arkansas | $124,890 | $4,662 | 86.9 | $138,293 | 131.7 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $125,130 | $3,379 | 88.2 | $138,029 | 131.5 |
| 9 | Missouri | $130,490 | $5,252 | 90.8 | $137,901 | 131.3 |
| 10 | Washington | $137,520 | — | 107.0 | $128,508 | 122.4 |
| 11 | Colorado | $136,930 | $5,365 | 103.1 | $127,669 | 121.6 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $134,520 | $6,506 | 105.8 | $121,045 | 115.3 |
| 13 | New York | $131,220 | $6,825 | 107.9 | $115,265 | 109.8 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $100,760 | $727 | 89.0 | $112,448 | 107.1 |
| 15 | Texas | $108,150 | — | 97.1 | $111,429 | 106.1 |
| 16 | Michigan | $108,970 | $4,385 | 96.2 | $108,697 | 103.5 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $98,870 | — | 91.9 | $107,619 | 102.5 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $107,920 | $3,313 | 97.6 | $107,210 | 102.1 |
| 19 | Georgia | $106,960 | $5,118 | 96.3 | $105,762 | 100.7 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $103,220 | $3,845 | 94.3 | $105,353 | 100.3 |
| 21 | Vermont | $107,500 | $4,713 | 98.0 | $104,929 | 99.9 |
| 22 | Indiana | $98,170 | $2,915 | 93.3 | $102,064 | 97.2 |
| 23 | Montana | $101,220 | $4,834 | 94.6 | $101,840 | 97.0 |
| 24 | Idaho | $101,910 | $4,683 | 95.5 | $101,814 | 97.0 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $93,480 | — | 92.7 | $100,851 | 96.1 |
| 26 | Maine | $103,090 | $5,422 | 97.0 | $100,637 | 95.9 |
| 27 | Virginia | $106,880 | $5,346 | 101.1 | $100,425 | 95.7 |
| 28 | Delaware | $105,780 | $5,640 | 99.8 | $100,332 | 95.6 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $103,510 | $5,550 | 98.6 | $99,330 | 94.6 |
| 30 | Alabama | $92,310 | $4,351 | 88.8 | $99,028 | 94.3 |
| 31 | Maryland | $108,160 | $4,811 | 105.0 | $98,467 | 93.8 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $103,780 | $3,371 | 102.3 | $98,171 | 93.5 |
| 33 | Arizona | $99,000 | $2,000 | 100.7 | $96,348 | 91.8 |
| 34 | Oregon | $103,180 | $8,224 | 103.4 | $91,868 | 87.5 |
| 35 | Kansas | $86,700 | $4,038 | 90.1 | $91,777 | 87.4 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $83,680 | $3,216 | 90.2 | $89,246 | 85.0 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $78,720 | — | 88.6 | $88,863 | 84.6 |
| 38 | Illinois | $92,860 | $4,455 | 100.0 | $88,442 | 84.2 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $80,960 | $3,114 | 90.1 | $86,397 | 82.3 |
| 40 | Florida | $88,710 | — | 103.4 | $85,781 | 81.7 |
| 41 | New Jersey | $96,630 | $3,965 | 108.8 | $85,166 | 81.1 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $82,480 | $3,506 | 93.7 | $84,239 | 80.2 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $76,450 | $3,094 | 87.8 | $83,508 | 79.5 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $81,500 | $3,167 | 94.1 | $83,249 | 79.3 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $85,250 | — | 104.2 | $81,841 | 77.9 |
| 46 | Ohio | $74,720 | $1,272 | 92.8 | $79,168 | 75.4 |
| 47 | Nevada | $77,160 | — | 100.0 | $77,176 | 73.5 |
| 48 | Alaska | $73,890 | — | 102.4 | $72,187 | 68.8 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $81,480 | $4,662 | 110.0 | $69,865 | 66.5 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $60,300 | $1,978 | 89.5 | $65,166 | 62.1 |
"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 Utah, a $168,060 salary is worth about $162,257 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $7,647 (flat 4.55%) · take-home $160,413 · BEA cost of living 98.9 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $189,714, a $27,457 gain over Utah.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $189,714 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $185,773 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $184,813 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $184,773 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $184,218 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $184,196 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $182,932 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $182,231 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $181,312 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $179,747 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $178,948 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $178,732 | 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).
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a health specialties teachers, postsecondary?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Utah is the best state for a health specialties teachers, postsecondary: a BLS median of $168,060 is worth $162,257 after the 2025 state income tax ($7,647) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 98.9), an index of 154.5 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Utah has the highest headline BLS median for a health specialties teachers, postsecondary at $168,060, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 50 on real pay (index 154.5). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a health specialties teachers, postsecondary salary go least far?
- West Virginia ranks last of 50 states for a health specialties teachers, postsecondary: a $60,300 BLS median is worth only $65,166 after tax and cost of living (index 62.1). 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 health specialties teachers, postsecondary is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.