Is Arizona a good state for your salary to go far?

Arizona ranks #35 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 97.3 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 100.7 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Arizona?

Arizona's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 100.7, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Arizona

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Arizona

Arizona ranks #35 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 97.3, base = 100). Cost of living 100.7 (US = 100); top income tax 2.50%.

Does a salary go further in Arizona? (cost of living + state tax)

In Arizona, the cost of living is 100.7 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 97.3 across 371 occupations, ranking it #35 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; 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 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Arizona ranks #35 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 97.3 means pay goes -2.7% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

97.3

Real pay by occupation in Arizona (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents	$92,680	$90,227	138.5
Cooks, Short Order	$46,630	$45,630	132.6
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other	$55,680	$54,395	132.0
Bartenders	$45,070	$44,120	131.2
Waiters and Waitresses	$43,950	$43,035	127.4
Education Administrators, All Other	$117,170	$113,944	121.7
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$48,550	$47,490	120.0
Urban and Regional Planners	$102,400	$99,640	120.0
Veterinarians	$152,020	$147,695	119.4
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers	$36,500	$35,820	116.0
Private Detectives and Investigators	$61,030	$59,576	115.0
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	$77,070	$75,110	113.1
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop	$34,740	$34,116	111.8
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	$102,340	$99,582	111.5
Animal Caretakers	$38,180	$37,447	111.3
Family Medicine Physicians	$292,760	$283,993	111.2
Labor Relations Specialists	$97,070	$94,479	111.2
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other	$58,220	$56,855	110.6
Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers	$45,560	$44,594	109.9
Fast Food and Counter Workers	$34,230	$33,622	109.6
Parts Salespersons	$46,020	$45,040	109.3
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers	$96,470	$93,898	108.6
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers	$35,380	$34,735	108.5
Coaches and Scouts	$53,130	$51,925	108.4
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel	$72,920	$71,091	108.3
Butchers and Meat Cutters	$45,780	$44,807	108.1
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians	$89,200	$86,857	108.0
Industrial Machinery Mechanics	$74,790	$72,902	107.9
Lodging Managers	$77,670	$75,691	107.9
Physicians, All Other	$312,490	$303,101	107.5
Education Teachers, Postsecondary	$78,520	$76,514	107.4
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	$65,300	$63,711	107.3
Amusement and Recreation Attendants	$33,570	$32,982	107.3
Chemical Technicians	$65,860	$64,254	107.1
Food Preparation Workers	$36,750	$36,062	106.9
Dishwashers	$35,130	$34,493	106.8
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$57,820	$56,467	106.7
Tellers	$45,250	$44,294	106.6
Skincare Specialists	$50,470	$49,349	106.6
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians	$59,390	$57,988	106.5

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for Arizona. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (100.7, US = 100).

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.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Arizona, a $85,000 salary is worth about $82,318 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $2,125 (flat 2.50%) · take-home $82,875 · BEA cost of living 100.7 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $13,634 gain over Arizona.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

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).

Arizona real pay — FAQ

Is Arizona a good state for your salary to go far?: Arizona ranks #35 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 97.3 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 100.7 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Arizona?: Arizona's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 100.7, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS

BLS OEWS and BEA cost-of-living data update roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed rankings.

Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); 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 Arizona is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.