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

Oklahoma ranks #39 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 96.8 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 87.8 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 87.8, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more 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 / Oklahoma

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Oklahoma

Oklahoma ranks #39 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 96.8, base = 100). Cost of living 87.8 (US = 100); top income tax 4.75%.

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

In Oklahoma, the cost of living is 87.8 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 96.8 across 371 occupations, ranking it #39 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

Oklahoma ranks #39 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 96.8 means pay goes -3.2% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

96.8

Real pay by occupation in Oklahoma (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	$86,260	$94,146	155.4
Family Medicine Physicians	$361,350	$392,431	153.7
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other	$57,550	$63,015	152.9
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers	$119,990	$130,720	144.5
Social Workers, All Other	$101,860	$111,061	140.1
Education Administrators, All Other	$112,170	$122,240	130.6
Business Operations Specialists, All Other	$93,640	$102,148	124.7
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks	$47,340	$51,944	122.0
Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other	$52,420	$57,452	121.9
Teachers and Instructors, All Other	$73,320	$80,114	121.0
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other	$73,320	$80,114	120.1
Pediatricians, General	$236,780	$257,358	119.9
Protective Service Workers, All Other	$52,360	$57,387	117.3
Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers	$51,880	$56,867	116.9
Occupational Therapists	$104,300	$113,707	115.7
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other	$81,330	$88,800	115.3
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other	$49,940	$54,763	115.0
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary	$67,060	$73,327	114.1
Logisticians	$86,600	$94,514	114.0
Interior Designers	$68,520	$74,910	114.0
Architects, Except Landscape and Naval	$100,350	$109,424	113.3
Engineers, All Other	$119,810	$130,525	112.8
Cooks, Short Order	$35,130	$38,704	112.5
Production Workers, All Other	$44,120	$48,452	112.2
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians	$80,880	$88,312	112.1
Sheet Metal Workers	$65,640	$71,787	112.0
Management Analysts	$99,420	$108,415	111.7
Dental Hygienists	$97,580	$106,420	111.1
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other	$53,640	$58,775	110.4
Medical Records Specialists	$53,460	$58,580	110.3
Physician Assistants	$136,550	$148,676	110.3
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents	$96,080	$104,794	110.2
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment	$75,480	$82,457	109.9
Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	$45,680	$50,144	109.8
Information and Record Clerks, All Other	$49,940	$54,763	109.7
Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators	$58,470	$64,012	109.7
Nurse Practitioners	$133,390	$145,250	109.5
Chemical Technicians	$60,020	$65,693	109.5
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	$59,350	$64,966	109.4
Civil Engineers	$98,760	$107,700	109.1

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for Oklahoma. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (87.8, 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 Oklahoma, a $85,000 salary is worth about $92,167 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $4,038 (≈ top marginal 4.75% (upper bound)) · take-home $80,963 · BEA cost of living 87.8 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $3,785 gain over Oklahoma.

#	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

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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).

Oklahoma real pay — FAQ

Is Oklahoma a good state for your salary to go far?: Oklahoma ranks #39 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 96.8 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 87.8 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Oklahoma?: Oklahoma's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 87.8, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more 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

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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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 Oklahoma is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.