GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Tellers
Best States to Be a Tellers
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a tellers salary goes furthest in North Carolina — a $44,830 BLS median worth $46,081 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 110.9).
Which US states are best for a tellers after cost of living and tax?
For a tellers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Carolina #1: a $44,830 BLS median becomes $46,081 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 110.9). Illinois ranks last ($36,912, index 88.9). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
North Carolina ranks #1 of 51 states for a tellers. Index 100 = the average state; 110.9 means pay goes 10.9% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedTellers — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | $44,830 | $1,363 | 94.3 | $46,081 | 110.9 |
| 2 | Alaska | $46,770 | — | 102.4 | $45,692 | 110.0 |
| 3 | Nevada | $44,980 | — | 100.0 | $44,989 | 108.3 |
| 4 | Washington | $47,670 | — | 107.0 | $44,546 | 107.2 |
| 5 | Arizona | $45,250 | $656 | 100.7 | $44,294 | 106.6 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $39,300 | — | 89.0 | $44,178 | 106.4 |
| 7 | Florida | $45,580 | — | 103.4 | $44,075 | 106.1 |
| 8 | South Carolina | $42,280 | $1,014 | 93.7 | $44,018 | 106.0 |
| 9 | Vermont | $44,030 | $1,056 | 98.0 | $43,870 | 105.6 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $46,320 | $1,159 | 103.6 | $43,587 | 104.9 |
| 11 | Delaware | $45,340 | $1,839 | 99.8 | $43,584 | 104.9 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $38,460 | — | 88.6 | $43,415 | 104.5 |
| 13 | Colorado | $46,060 | $1,367 | 103.1 | $43,370 | 104.4 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $44,190 | $1,564 | 98.6 | $43,222 | 104.1 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $45,300 | $1,099 | 102.3 | $43,216 | 104.0 |
| 16 | Idaho | $42,380 | $1,293 | 95.5 | $43,026 | 103.6 |
| 17 | Virginia | $45,120 | $1,795 | 101.1 | $42,852 | 103.2 |
| 18 | Maine | $42,890 | $1,319 | 97.0 | $42,835 | 103.1 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $44,460 | — | 104.2 | $42,682 | 102.8 |
| 20 | Ohio | $39,810 | $312 | 92.8 | $42,574 | 102.5 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $47,210 | $1,061 | 108.8 | $42,415 | 102.1 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $46,900 | $2,125 | 105.8 | $42,338 | 101.9 |
| 23 | Iowa | $38,450 | $1,421 | 87.8 | $42,192 | 101.6 |
| 24 | Maryland | $46,010 | $1,853 | 105.0 | $42,071 | 101.3 |
| 25 | Georgia | $41,690 | $1,600 | 96.3 | $41,633 | 100.2 |
| 26 | California | $46,900 | $910 | 110.7 | $41,537 | 100.0 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $36,810 | $814 | 87.0 | $41,397 | 99.7 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $38,140 | $905 | 90.1 | $41,325 | 99.5 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $38,290 | — | 92.7 | $41,309 | 99.5 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $39,640 | $985 | 94.1 | $41,081 | 98.9 |
| 31 | Indiana | $38,730 | $1,132 | 93.3 | $40,286 | 97.0 |
| 32 | Alabama | $37,350 | $1,603 | 88.8 | $40,246 | 96.9 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $37,680 | $700 | 92.2 | $40,103 | 96.5 |
| 34 | Oregon | $44,440 | $3,085 | 103.4 | $40,011 | 96.3 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $36,750 | — | 91.9 | $40,002 | 96.3 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $45,590 | $1,635 | 109.9 | $39,995 | 96.3 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $40,200 | $1,234 | 97.6 | $39,935 | 96.1 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $37,210 | $1,358 | 90.2 | $39,766 | 95.7 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $35,710 | $1,184 | 86.9 | $39,714 | 95.6 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $35,680 | $695 | 88.2 | $39,662 | 95.5 |
| 41 | Kansas | $36,840 | $1,256 | 90.1 | $39,508 | 95.1 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $35,840 | $1,165 | 87.8 | $39,474 | 95.0 |
| 43 | New York | $44,400 | $1,837 | 107.9 | $39,439 | 95.0 |
| 44 | Missouri | $36,650 | $842 | 90.8 | $39,429 | 94.9 |
| 45 | Michigan | $39,240 | $1,421 | 96.2 | $39,306 | 94.6 |
| 46 | Texas | $38,050 | — | 97.1 | $39,204 | 94.4 |
| 47 | Montana | $38,080 | $1,109 | 94.6 | $39,063 | 94.0 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $43,910 | $1,846 | 110.0 | $38,257 | 92.1 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $34,560 | $918 | 89.5 | $37,590 | 90.5 |
| 50 | Utah | $38,370 | $1,746 | 98.9 | $37,045 | 89.2 |
| 51 | Illinois | $38,670 | $1,773 | 100.0 | $36,912 | 88.9 |
"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 North Carolina, a $44,830 salary is worth about $45,507 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $1,905 (flat 4.25%) · take-home $42,925 · BEA cost of living 94.3 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $50,606, a $5,099 gain over North Carolina.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $50,606 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $49,555 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $49,299 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $49,288 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $49,140 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $49,134 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $48,797 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $48,610 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $48,365 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $47,948 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $47,734 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $47,677 | 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).
Tellers — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a tellers?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Carolina is the best state for a tellers: a BLS median of $44,830 is worth $46,081 after the 2025 state income tax ($1,363) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 94.3), an index of 110.9 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 tellers at $47,670, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #4 of 51 on real pay (index 107.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a tellers salary go least far?
- Illinois ranks last of 51 states for a tellers: a $38,670 BLS median is worth only $36,912 after tax and cost of living (index 88.9). 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
Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS
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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 tellers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.