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

Utah ranks #47 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 94.4 across 369 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 98.9 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Utah?

Utah's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 98.9, 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 / Utah

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Utah

Utah ranks #47 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 94.4, base = 100). Cost of living 98.9 (US = 100); top income tax 4.55%.

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

In Utah, the cost of living is 98.9 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 94.4 across 369 occupations, ranking it #47 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

Utah ranks #47 of 51 states. Mean across 369 occupations; 100 = the average state, 94.4 means pay goes -5.6% less far after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

94.4

Real pay by occupation in Utah (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	$168,060	$162,257	154.5
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	$113,510	$109,590	146.2
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	$110,410	$106,597	134.5
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other	$56,140	$54,201	131.5
Database Administrators	$135,750	$131,062	130.9
Business Teachers, Postsecondary	$115,870	$111,869	118.4
Photographers	$52,140	$50,339	115.0
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary	$128,880	$124,429	113.8
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors	$59,310	$57,262	113.6
Family Medicine Physicians	$297,510	$287,236	112.5
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$79,180	$76,446	112.4
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers	$100,380	$96,914	112.1
Special Education Teachers, Middle School	$78,920	$76,195	111.7
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary	$93,090	$89,875	110.8
Healthcare Social Workers	$78,150	$75,451	110.7
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	$90,710	$87,578	110.3
Correctional Officers and Jailers	$67,290	$64,966	109.8
Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service	$45,150	$43,591	109.8
Data Entry Keyers	$47,180	$45,551	109.1
Travel Agents	$56,670	$54,713	109.0
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars	$75,320	$72,719	108.0
Private Detectives and Investigators	$57,910	$55,910	107.9
Bus Drivers, School	$52,890	$51,064	107.7
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers	$44,150	$42,625	107.7
School Bus Monitors	$38,020	$36,707	107.5
Nuclear Medicine Technologists	$111,770	$107,910	107.4
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$74,810	$72,227	107.0
Cooks, Short Order	$38,010	$36,697	106.6
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	$128,430	$123,995	106.6
Administrative Services Managers	$123,700	$119,428	106.3
Highway Maintenance Workers	$55,970	$54,037	105.7
Producers and Directors	$76,350	$73,713	105.7
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$76,330	$73,694	105.6
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	$110,500	$106,684	105.5
Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers	$44,210	$42,683	105.2
Community Health Workers	$55,700	$53,777	105.2
Conservation Scientists	$78,850	$76,127	105.1
Couriers and Messengers	$42,840	$41,361	104.8
Audiologists	$104,450	$100,843	104.7
Tree Trimmers and Pruners	$56,890	$54,925	104.6

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 369 BLS publishes for Utah. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (98.9, 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 Utah, a $85,000 salary is worth about $82,065 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $3,868 (flat 4.55%) · take-home $81,133 · BEA cost of living 98.9 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $13,887 gain over Utah.

#	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).

Utah real pay — FAQ

Is Utah a good state for your salary to go far?: Utah ranks #47 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 94.4 across 369 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 98.9 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Utah?: Utah's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 98.9, 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 Utah is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.