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

Washington ranks #1 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 113.0 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 107.0 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Washington?

Washington's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 107.0, 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 / Washington

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Washington

Washington ranks #1 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 113.0, base = 100). Cost of living 107.0 (US = 100); no state income tax.

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

In Washington, the cost of living is 107.0 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 113.0 across 371 occupations, ranking it #1 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

Washington ranks #1 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 113.0 means pay goes 13.0% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

113.0

Real pay by occupation in Washington (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers	$119,320	$111,500	164.7
Skincare Specialists	$79,320	$74,122	160.1
Paramedics	$104,310	$97,474	158.0
Waiters and Waitresses	$56,130	$52,452	155.2
Bartenders	$55,830	$52,171	155.1
Firefighters	$94,520	$88,326	154.6
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists	$59,510	$55,610	152.8
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$99,960	$93,409	146.4
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators	$90,530	$84,597	146.0
Structural Iron and Steel Workers	$107,660	$100,605	144.4
Data Scientists	$163,350	$152,645	144.1
Sheet Metal Workers	$98,550	$92,092	143.7
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary	$166,590	$155,673	142.4
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$102,350	$95,643	141.6
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$102,140	$95,446	140.4
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers	$129,350	$120,873	139.8
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists	$100,030	$93,475	139.6
Library Technicians	$62,570	$58,470	139.2
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors	$74,620	$69,730	138.3
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$102,670	$95,942	137.5
Public Safety Telecommunicators	$78,850	$73,683	137.4
Special Education Teachers, Middle School	$99,520	$92,998	136.3
Massage Therapists	$87,360	$81,635	136.0
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School	$101,120	$94,493	135.7
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other	$59,730	$55,816	135.4
Lodging Managers	$101,350	$94,708	135.0
Tour and Travel Guides	$54,160	$50,611	134.6
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School	$101,180	$94,549	134.5
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term	$55,740	$52,087	134.1
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	$95,040	$88,812	132.1
Crane and Tower Operators	$101,110	$94,484	130.8
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary	$49,120	$45,901	130.0
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$102,080	$95,390	130.0
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers	$59,400	$55,507	129.7
Electricians	$95,220	$88,980	129.2
Construction Managers	$155,070	$144,908	128.2
Dental Hygienists	$131,160	$122,565	127.9
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$133,060	$124,340	127.4
Home Health and Personal Care Aides	$47,730	$44,602	127.3
Food Service Managers	$95,190	$88,952	126.9

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for Washington. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (107.0, 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 Washington, a $85,000 salary is worth about $79,430 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $85,000 · BEA cost of living 107.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $16,522 gain over Washington.

#	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).

Washington real pay — FAQ

Is Washington a good state for your salary to go far?: Washington ranks #1 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 113.0 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 107.0 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Washington?: Washington's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 107.0, 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

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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 Washington is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.