GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Manicurists and Pedicurists
Best States to Be a Manicurists and Pedicurists
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a manicurists and pedicurists salary goes furthest in Nebraska — a $56,940 BLS median worth $61,125 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 163.9).
Which US states are best for a manicurists and pedicurists after cost of living and tax?
For a manicurists and pedicurists, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Nebraska #1: a $56,940 BLS median becomes $61,125 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 163.9). Georgia ranks last ($27,111, index 72.7). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 49 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Nebraska ranks #1 of 49 states for a manicurists and pedicurists. Index 100 = the average state; 163.9 means pay goes 63.9% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedManicurists and Pedicurists — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $56,940 | $1,865 | 90.1 | $61,125 | 163.9 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $60,790 | $3,090 | 110.0 | $52,478 | 140.7 |
| 3 | South Dakota | $45,310 | — | 88.6 | $51,148 | 137.2 |
| 4 | Iowa | $45,420 | $1,686 | 87.8 | $49,833 | 133.6 |
| 5 | Kentucky | $45,310 | $1,682 | 90.2 | $48,391 | 129.8 |
| 6 | Maine | $48,540 | $1,662 | 97.0 | $48,303 | 129.5 |
| 7 | Alaska | $47,890 | — | 102.4 | $46,786 | 125.5 |
| 8 | Washington | $49,900 | — | 107.0 | $46,630 | 125.1 |
| 9 | Missouri | $39,100 | $957 | 90.8 | $42,000 | 112.6 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $37,300 | $836 | 87.0 | $41,935 | 112.5 |
| 11 | Nevada | $41,880 | — | 100.0 | $41,889 | 112.3 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $38,260 | $1,041 | 89.5 | $41,587 | 111.5 |
| 13 | Oregon | $46,080 | $3,228 | 103.4 | $41,459 | 111.2 |
| 14 | Ohio | $35,590 | $196 | 92.8 | $38,150 | 102.3 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $36,680 | $854 | 94.1 | $38,074 | 102.1 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $34,810 | — | 91.9 | $37,890 | 101.6 |
| 17 | Indiana | $36,140 | $1,054 | 93.3 | $37,594 | 100.8 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $33,430 | — | 89.0 | $37,579 | 100.8 |
| 19 | Michigan | $36,890 | $1,321 | 96.2 | $36,967 | 99.1 |
| 20 | Florida | $37,840 | — | 103.4 | $36,591 | 98.1 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $34,740 | $935 | 94.3 | $35,839 | 96.1 |
| 22 | Idaho | $34,910 | $868 | 95.5 | $35,649 | 95.6 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $33,810 | $489 | 93.7 | $35,543 | 95.3 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $36,040 | $1,128 | 98.6 | $35,400 | 94.9 |
| 25 | Illinois | $37,050 | $1,693 | 100.0 | $35,372 | 94.9 |
| 26 | Texas | $34,040 | — | 97.1 | $35,072 | 94.1 |
| 27 | Colorado | $37,110 | $973 | 103.1 | $35,067 | 94.0 |
| 28 | Virginia | $36,630 | $1,307 | 101.1 | $34,938 | 93.7 |
| 29 | Arizona | $35,290 | $407 | 100.7 | $34,648 | 92.9 |
| 30 | Montana | $33,660 | $877 | 94.6 | $34,638 | 92.9 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $31,330 | $951 | 87.8 | $34,584 | 92.8 |
| 32 | Maryland | $37,300 | $1,439 | 105.0 | $34,167 | 91.6 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $35,100 | — | 104.2 | $33,697 | 90.4 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $34,910 | $709 | 102.3 | $33,438 | 89.7 |
| 35 | Kansas | $30,930 | $945 | 90.1 | $33,292 | 89.3 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $36,370 | $555 | 108.8 | $32,916 | 88.3 |
| 37 | Connecticut | $34,720 | $637 | 103.6 | $32,895 | 88.2 |
| 38 | Alabama | $30,300 | $1,250 | 88.8 | $32,705 | 87.7 |
| 39 | California | $36,630 | $477 | 110.7 | $32,653 | 87.6 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $36,620 | $1,097 | 109.9 | $32,323 | 86.7 |
| 41 | Massachusetts | $35,470 | $1,554 | 105.8 | $32,070 | 86.0 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $28,170 | $470 | 88.2 | $31,403 | 84.2 |
| 43 | New York | $34,660 | $1,301 | 107.9 | $30,910 | 82.9 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $27,690 | $871 | 86.9 | $30,848 | 82.7 |
| 45 | Delaware | $31,200 | $1,055 | 99.8 | $30,203 | 81.0 |
| 46 | Utah | $28,820 | $1,311 | 98.9 | $27,825 | 74.6 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $27,990 | $859 | 97.6 | $27,806 | 74.6 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $25,720 | $250 | 92.2 | $27,622 | 74.1 |
| 49 | Georgia | $26,910 | $804 | 96.3 | $27,111 | 72.7 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 49 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 Nebraska, a $56,940 salary is worth about $59,908 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $2,961 (≈ top marginal 5.20% (upper bound)) · take-home $53,979 · BEA cost of living 90.1 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $64,277, a $4,368 gain over Nebraska.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $64,277 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $62,941 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $62,616 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $62,602 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $62,415 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $62,407 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $61,979 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $61,741 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $61,430 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $60,900 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $60,629 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $60,556 | 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).
Manicurists and Pedicurists — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a manicurists and pedicurists?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Nebraska is the best state for a manicurists and pedicurists: a BLS median of $56,940 is worth $61,125 after the 2025 state income tax ($1,865) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 90.1), an index of 163.9 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a manicurists and pedicurists at $60,790, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #2 of 49 on real pay (index 140.7). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a manicurists and pedicurists salary go least far?
- Georgia ranks last of 49 states for a manicurists and pedicurists: a $26,910 BLS median is worth only $27,111 after tax and cost of living (index 72.7). 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 manicurists and pedicurists is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.