GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Skincare Specialists
Best States to Be a Skincare Specialists
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a skincare specialists salary goes furthest in Washington — a $79,320 BLS median worth $74,122 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 160.1).
Which US states are best for a skincare specialists after cost of living and tax?
For a skincare specialists, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Washington #1: a $79,320 BLS median becomes $74,122 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 160.1). California ranks last ($34,508, index 74.5). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 49 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Washington ranks #1 of 49 states for a skincare specialists. Index 100 = the average state; 160.1 means pay goes 60.1% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedSkincare Specialists — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $79,320 | — | 107.0 | $74,122 | 160.1 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $62,400 | — | 92.7 | $67,320 | 145.4 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $77,480 | $3,711 | 109.9 | $67,123 | 144.9 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $58,160 | — | 89.0 | $65,378 | 141.2 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $58,420 | $1,942 | 90.1 | $62,682 | 135.4 |
| 6 | Montana | $58,500 | $2,313 | 94.6 | $59,366 | 128.2 |
| 7 | Maine | $55,850 | $2,155 | 97.0 | $55,327 | 119.5 |
| 8 | Colorado | $54,500 | $1,738 | 103.1 | $51,199 | 110.6 |
| 9 | Texas | $49,250 | — | 97.1 | $50,743 | 109.6 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $47,230 | $1,111 | 92.2 | $50,014 | 108.0 |
| 11 | Arizona | $50,470 | $787 | 100.7 | $49,349 | 106.6 |
| 12 | Kansas | $45,760 | $1,754 | 90.1 | $48,859 | 105.5 |
| 13 | Delaware | $50,820 | $2,144 | 99.8 | $48,770 | 105.3 |
| 14 | Georgia | $48,660 | $1,976 | 96.3 | $48,481 | 104.7 |
| 15 | Missouri | $45,200 | $1,243 | 90.8 | $48,401 | 104.5 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $46,220 | $1,297 | 94.1 | $47,742 | 103.1 |
| 17 | Oregon | $52,110 | $3,756 | 103.4 | $46,782 | 101.0 |
| 18 | Indiana | $44,450 | $1,304 | 93.3 | $46,231 | 99.8 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $41,160 | $1,006 | 87.0 | $46,179 | 99.7 |
| 20 | Michigan | $45,240 | $1,676 | 96.2 | $45,277 | 97.8 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $46,890 | — | 104.2 | $45,015 | 97.2 |
| 22 | Utah | $45,490 | $2,070 | 98.9 | $43,919 | 94.8 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $44,430 | $1,577 | 98.6 | $43,452 | 93.8 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $43,620 | $1,339 | 97.6 | $43,333 | 93.6 |
| 25 | Illinois | $45,330 | $2,103 | 100.0 | $43,245 | 93.4 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $38,230 | — | 88.6 | $43,156 | 93.2 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $47,310 | $2,146 | 105.8 | $42,706 | 92.2 |
| 28 | Maryland | $46,590 | $1,880 | 105.0 | $42,597 | 92.0 |
| 29 | Florida | $43,880 | — | 103.4 | $42,431 | 91.6 |
| 30 | Alabama | $39,260 | $1,698 | 88.8 | $42,289 | 91.3 |
| 31 | Ohio | $39,150 | $294 | 92.8 | $41,882 | 90.4 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $43,880 | $1,046 | 102.3 | $41,880 | 90.4 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $39,670 | $852 | 93.7 | $41,406 | 89.4 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $38,030 | $1,033 | 89.5 | $41,338 | 89.3 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $45,870 | $987 | 108.8 | $41,251 | 89.1 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $38,580 | $1,412 | 90.2 | $41,225 | 89.0 |
| 37 | Connecticut | $43,680 | $1,041 | 103.6 | $41,154 | 88.9 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $37,340 | $1,236 | 87.8 | $41,101 | 88.8 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $36,890 | $732 | 88.2 | $40,993 | 88.5 |
| 40 | Iowa | $37,080 | $1,369 | 87.8 | $40,691 | 87.9 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $36,520 | $1,216 | 86.9 | $40,609 | 87.7 |
| 42 | Alaska | $41,240 | — | 102.4 | $40,290 | 87.0 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $39,120 | $1,121 | 94.3 | $40,285 | 87.0 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $36,590 | — | 91.9 | $39,828 | 86.0 |
| 45 | Nevada | $38,660 | — | 100.0 | $38,668 | 83.5 |
| 46 | New York | $42,910 | $1,755 | 107.9 | $38,134 | 82.3 |
| 47 | Virginia | $39,350 | $1,463 | 101.1 | $37,473 | 80.9 |
| 48 | Idaho | $34,130 | $823 | 95.5 | $34,878 | 75.3 |
| 49 | California | $38,770 | $563 | 110.7 | $34,508 | 74.5 |
"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 Washington, a $79,320 salary is worth about $74,122 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $79,320 · BEA cost of living 107.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $89,540, a $15,418 gain over Washington.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $89,540 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $87,680 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $87,227 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $87,208 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $86,946 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $86,936 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $86,339 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $86,008 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $85,575 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $84,836 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $84,459 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $84,357 | 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).
Skincare Specialists — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a skincare specialists?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Washington is the best state for a skincare specialists: a BLS median of $79,320 is worth $74,122 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 107.0), an index of 160.1 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a skincare specialists at $79,320, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 160.1). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a skincare specialists salary go least far?
- California ranks last of 49 states for a skincare specialists: a $38,770 BLS median is worth only $34,508 after tax and cost of living (index 74.5). 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 skincare specialists is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.