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Best States to Be a Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products salary goes furthest in South Dakota — a $77,210 BLS median worth $87,158 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 126.8).

Which US states are best for a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products after cost of living and tax?

For a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks South Dakota #1: a $77,210 BLS median becomes $87,158 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 126.8). Hawaii ranks last ($50,982, index 74.2). 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

Gera US Real Pay Index

South Dakota ranks #1 of 51 states for a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products. Index 100 = the average state; 126.8 means pay goes 26.8% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated
126.8

Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — real pay by state (best first)

#StateBLS medianState taxCost (RPP)Real payIndex
1South Dakota$77,21088.6$87,158126.8
2North Dakota$74,250$21089.0$83,229121.1
3Ohio$73,960$1,25292.8$78,372114.0
4Wyoming$72,53092.7$78,249113.8
5Rhode Island$82,420$2,491102.3$78,147113.7
6Vermont$76,840$2,69098.0$75,696110.1
7Washington$79,830107.0$74,598108.5
8Indiana$71,330$2,11093.3$74,168107.9
9Colorado$79,250$2,827103.1$74,160107.9
10Minnesota$76,750$3,73098.6$74,041107.7
11Iowa$66,760$2,49787.8$73,224106.5
12Kansas$68,960$3,04890.1$73,180106.5
13Michigan$72,980$2,85596.2$72,882106.0
14North Carolina$70,990$2,47594.3$72,636105.7
15Massachusetts$79,810$3,771105.8$71,900104.6
16Arizona$72,390$1,335100.7$70,577102.7
17Connecticut$75,570$2,581103.6$70,446102.5
18New Jersey$79,410$2,868108.8$70,347102.3
19New York$79,590$3,772107.9$70,253102.2
20Illinois$73,510$3,498100.0$70,042101.9
21Louisiana$63,290$1,52488.2$70,024101.9
22New Hampshire$72,790104.2$69,880101.7
23District of Columbia$80,010$3,926109.9$69,230100.7
24Alabama$64,140$2,94288.8$68,899100.2
25West Virginia$63,560$2,12989.5$68,64199.9
26Kentucky$64,280$2,44090.2$68,58999.8
27Nebraska$64,030$2,23390.1$68,58499.8
28Nevada$68,150100.0$68,16499.2
29Oklahoma$62,160$2,41587.8$68,01399.0
30Texas$65,97097.1$67,97098.9
31Wisconsin$65,930$2,34294.1$67,57898.3
32Tennessee$61,63091.9$67,08497.6
33Maryland$73,080$3,139105.0$66,63797.0
34California$76,490$2,992110.7$66,38296.6
35Oregon$74,180$5,687103.4$66,26696.4
36Mississippi$59,320$1,80587.0$66,14596.2
37South Carolina$64,250$2,37693.7$65,99996.0
38Missouri$61,940$2,03090.8$65,96896.0
39Pennsylvania$66,130$2,03097.6$65,69595.6
40Idaho$64,840$2,57295.5$65,20694.9
41New Mexico$61,320$1,76892.2$64,58294.0
42Georgia$63,860$2,79596.3$63,41692.3
43Maine$63,960$2,70397.0$63,11991.8
44Montana$61,670$2,50094.6$62,51791.0
45Arkansas$55,120$1,94186.9$61,16989.0
46Florida$62,490103.4$60,42787.9
47Virginia$63,400$2,846101.1$59,89387.1
48Utah$61,980$2,82098.9$59,84087.1
49Delaware$62,280$2,78099.8$59,61586.7
50Alaska$56,830102.4$55,52080.8
51Hawaii$59,010$2,955110.0$50,98274.2

"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.

In South Dakota, a $77,210 salary is worth about $87,158 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $77,210 · BEA cost of living 88.6 (US = 100).

That makes South Dakota the state where this salary goes furthest.

#StateReal valueCost (RPP)
1South Dakota$87,15888.6
2Arkansas$85,34886.9
3Louisiana$84,90788.2
4Mississippi$84,88887.0
5Iowa$84,63387.8
6North Dakota$84,62389.0
7Tennessee$84,04391.9
8Oklahoma$83,72087.8
9Wyoming$83,29892.7
10Alabama$82,57988.8
11Kentucky$82,21290.2
12West Virginia$82,11389.5

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).

Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products?
By the Gera US Real Pay Index, South Dakota is the best state for a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products: a BLS median of $77,210 is worth $87,158 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 88.6), an index of 126.8 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
Not necessarily. Rhode Island has the highest headline BLS median for a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products at $82,420, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #5 of 51 on real pay (index 113.7). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products salary go least far?
Hawaii ranks last of 51 states for a sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products: a $59,010 BLS median is worth only $50,982 after tax and cost of living (index 74.2). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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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 sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.

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