GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Purchasing Managers
Best States to Be a Purchasing Managers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a purchasing managers salary goes furthest in Arkansas — a $156,450 BLS median worth $173,179 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 124.9).
Which US states are best for a purchasing managers after cost of living and tax?
For a purchasing managers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Arkansas #1: a $156,450 BLS median becomes $173,179 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 124.9). Hawaii ranks last ($96,766, index 69.8). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Arkansas ranks #1 of 50 states for a purchasing managers. Index 100 = the average state; 124.9 means pay goes 24.9% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedPurchasing Managers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | $156,450 | $5,893 | 86.9 | $173,179 | 124.9 |
| 2 | Kansas | $159,850 | $8,120 | 90.1 | $168,462 | 121.5 |
| 3 | Colorado | $171,250 | $6,875 | 103.1 | $159,507 | 115.1 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $147,220 | $6,161 | 89.5 | $157,613 | 113.7 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $162,900 | — | 104.2 | $156,387 | 112.8 |
| 6 | Virginia | $166,230 | $8,759 | 101.1 | $155,752 | 112.4 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $170,750 | $8,318 | 105.8 | $153,590 | 110.8 |
| 8 | Georgia | $155,360 | $7,727 | 96.3 | $153,316 | 110.6 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $174,520 | $8,927 | 108.8 | $152,192 | 109.8 |
| 10 | Washington | $162,730 | — | 107.0 | $152,066 | 109.7 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $137,060 | — | 91.9 | $149,189 | 107.6 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $175,720 | $12,061 | 109.9 | $148,915 | 107.4 |
| 13 | Maryland | $161,470 | $7,566 | 105.0 | $146,632 | 105.8 |
| 14 | Illinois | $153,370 | $7,451 | 100.0 | $145,981 | 105.3 |
| 15 | New York | $166,300 | $8,930 | 107.9 | $145,820 | 105.2 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $128,670 | — | 88.6 | $145,249 | 104.8 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $130,110 | $1,299 | 89.0 | $144,798 | 104.4 |
| 18 | Michigan | $142,120 | $5,794 | 96.2 | $141,686 | 102.2 |
| 19 | Ohio | $134,580 | $3,160 | 92.8 | $141,656 | 102.2 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $138,710 | $5,353 | 94.3 | $141,379 | 102.0 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $141,790 | $4,353 | 97.6 | $140,857 | 101.6 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $134,790 | $5,328 | 92.2 | $140,396 | 101.3 |
| 23 | Alabama | $130,710 | $6,271 | 88.8 | $140,098 | 101.1 |
| 24 | Missouri | $132,100 | $5,328 | 90.8 | $139,591 | 100.7 |
| 25 | Texas | $134,670 | — | 97.1 | $138,754 | 100.1 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $144,810 | $8,598 | 98.6 | $138,116 | 99.6 |
| 27 | Idaho | $136,970 | $6,680 | 95.5 | $136,438 | 98.4 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $122,940 | $4,604 | 87.0 | $136,092 | 98.2 |
| 29 | Arizona | $138,940 | $2,999 | 100.7 | $135,027 | 97.4 |
| 30 | California | $159,830 | $10,742 | 110.7 | $134,653 | 97.1 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $131,720 | $6,559 | 93.7 | $133,506 | 96.3 |
| 32 | Iowa | $121,580 | $4,580 | 87.8 | $133,315 | 96.2 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $123,380 | — | 92.7 | $133,109 | 96.0 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $124,350 | $4,843 | 90.2 | $132,551 | 95.6 |
| 35 | Maine | $135,970 | $7,773 | 97.0 | $132,094 | 95.3 |
| 36 | Indiana | $126,880 | $3,776 | 93.3 | $131,903 | 95.1 |
| 37 | Vermont | $135,720 | $6,648 | 98.0 | $131,763 | 95.0 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $124,010 | $5,352 | 90.1 | $131,691 | 95.0 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $119,310 | $5,130 | 87.8 | $129,982 | 93.8 |
| 40 | Florida | $133,410 | — | 103.4 | $129,006 | 93.1 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $138,680 | $6,171 | 103.6 | $127,892 | 92.3 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $124,990 | $5,472 | 94.1 | $127,018 | 91.6 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $134,560 | $4,833 | 102.3 | $126,836 | 91.5 |
| 44 | Montana | $123,480 | $6,147 | 94.6 | $123,972 | 89.4 |
| 45 | Oregon | $137,190 | $11,308 | 103.4 | $121,789 | 87.9 |
| 46 | Utah | $125,940 | $5,730 | 98.9 | $121,591 | 87.7 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $109,630 | $2,914 | 88.2 | $120,984 | 87.3 |
| 48 | Nevada | $120,270 | — | 100.0 | $120,295 | 86.8 |
| 49 | Alaska | $114,650 | — | 102.4 | $112,008 | 80.8 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $113,490 | $7,095 | 110.0 | $96,766 | 69.8 |
"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 Arkansas, a $156,450 salary is worth about $172,940 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $6,102 (≈ top marginal 3.90% (upper bound)) · take-home $150,348 · BEA cost of living 86.9 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $176,608, a $3,668 gain over Arkansas.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $176,608 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $172,940 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $172,046 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $172,008 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $171,492 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $171,471 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $170,295 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $169,642 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $168,787 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $167,330 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $166,586 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $166,384 | 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).
Purchasing Managers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a purchasing managers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Arkansas is the best state for a purchasing managers: a BLS median of $156,450 is worth $173,179 after the 2025 state income tax ($5,893) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 86.9), an index of 124.9 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a purchasing managers at $175,720, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #12 of 50 on real pay (index 107.4). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a purchasing managers salary go least far?
- Hawaii ranks last of 50 states for a purchasing managers: a $113,490 BLS median is worth only $96,766 after tax and cost of living (index 69.8). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
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- 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 purchasing managers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.