Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations — sector wage premium by US state
Which US states pay above the national average for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations?
As of May 2025 BLS OEWS data, District of Columbia pays +57.6% above the national employment-weighted average for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations (state median: $101,750 vs national approx. $64,550). Sector GUPPI ranks 51 US states. Re-dated annually from BLS OEWS.
Gera US Sector Pay Premium Index
District of Columbia ranks #1 for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations pay. National employment-weighted average: $64,550.
How this is calculatedArts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations — GUPPI by US state
All 51 states where BLS publishes a median, ranked highest GUPPI first. SOC code 270000.
| # | State | Median salary | GUPPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $101,750 | +57.6% |
| 2 | New York | $82,250 | +27.4% |
| 3 | California | $79,520 | +23.2% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $76,420 | +18.4% |
| 5 | New Jersey | $74,390 | +15.2% |
| 6 | Maryland | $71,100 | +10.1% |
| 7 | Connecticut | $68,680 | +6.4% |
| 8 | Colorado | $65,810 | +2.0% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $65,090 | +0.8% |
| 10 | Washington | $64,850 | +0.5% |
| 11 | Oregon | $64,310 | −0.4% |
| 12 | Illinois | $63,720 | −1.3% |
| 13 | Virginia | $62,540 | −3.1% |
| 14 | Minnesota | $62,480 | −3.2% |
| 15 | Vermont | $62,470 | −3.2% |
| 16 | Georgia | $60,670 | −6.0% |
| 17 | Delaware | $59,910 | −7.2% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $59,350 | −8.1% |
| 19 | Hawaii | $57,830 | −10.4% |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $57,550 | −10.8% |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $57,110 | −11.5% |
| 22 | Nevada | $56,990 | −11.7% |
| 23 | Arizona | $56,710 | −12.1% |
| 24 | Michigan | $55,700 | −13.7% |
| 25 | North Carolina | $55,650 | −13.8% |
| 26 | Florida | $55,140 | −14.6% |
| 27 | Utah | $54,960 | −14.9% |
| 28 | Alaska | $53,790 | −16.7% |
| 29 | Texas | $53,280 | −17.5% |
| 30 | Maine | $53,150 | −17.7% |
| 31 | New Mexico | $52,950 | −18.0% |
| 32 | Ohio | $51,720 | −19.9% |
| 33 | Montana | $51,260 | −20.6% |
| 34 | Indiana | $51,100 | −20.8% |
| 35 | Nebraska | $51,020 | −21.0% |
| 36 | Iowa | $50,820 | −21.3% |
| 37 | Missouri | $50,790 | −21.3% |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $50,720 | −21.4% |
| 39 | South Carolina | $50,720 | −21.4% |
| 40 | Tennessee | $50,340 | −22.0% |
| 41 | Wyoming | $50,130 | −22.3% |
| 42 | Louisiana | $49,910 | −22.7% |
| 43 | Idaho | $49,220 | −23.7% |
| 44 | Kansas | $49,260 | −23.7% |
| 45 | Alabama | $49,140 | −23.9% |
| 46 | North Dakota | $49,080 | −24.0% |
| 47 | Kentucky | $48,110 | −25.5% |
| 48 | South Dakota | $46,040 | −28.7% |
| 49 | West Virginia | $45,830 | −29.0% |
| 50 | Arkansas | $44,220 | −31.5% |
| 51 | Mississippi | $43,580 | −32.5% |
Benchmark your salary against the sector median in District of Columbia
Enter your annual salary to see how you compare to the BLS OEWS May 2025 sector median for District of Columbia.
Frequently asked questions
- Which states pay the most for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations?
- District of Columbia is ranked #1 for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations with a GUPPI of +57.6% and a BLS OEWS May 2025 median of $101,750/yr. The national employment-weighted average is $64,550/yr.
- Which states pay the least for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations?
- Mississippi has the lowest sector GUPPI for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations: −32.5% (BLS median $43,580/yr vs national average $64,550/yr).
- What does the GUPPI mean for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations?
- GUPPI = (state median − emp-weighted national average) / national average × 100. A positive GUPPI means employers in that state pay above the national average for Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. A negative GUPPI means they pay below. It is a raw wage premium with no cost-of-living adjustment.
- How is the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations sector defined?
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations is BLS SOC major group 270000. It is the broadest level of occupational classification in BLS OEWS, covering all occupations within that sector regardless of industry. See the BLS OEWS website for the full list of occupations within this group.
Find Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live vacancies where employers state salary ranges — browseArts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations roles and filter by state.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — Major Group Rollups · May 2025 state estimates (major-group rollup) · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
GUPPI computed by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-20. Full methodology · ← All sectors