Average Annual Pay

Definition

Average annual pay for all workers covered by unemployment insurance, 2011, adjusted for state cost of living.

Description

Earning an adequate salary makes it possible for families to make ends meet, pay down debt, and save for and invest in the future. This measure is only an approximation of annual earnings, as an individual may not be employed by the same employer all year or may work multiple jobs at once.

 Average annual pay is defined as the total annual pay of all employees covered by unemployment insurance (UI) programs, divided by the average number of UI-covered employees. It is important to note that average annual pay is affected by both the ratio of high-paid to low-paid employees and the ratio of full-time to part-time workers. 

For more information on this measure, including workers covered and the methodology, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

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Average Annual Pay

State	Adjusted Average Annual Pay ($)	Rank
United States	$48,043
Alabama	$45,459	25
Alaska	$46,544	21
Arizona	$44,626	29
Arkansas	$41,747	43
California	$49,696	8
Colorado	$49,578	9
Connecticut	$55,335	3
Delaware	$48,697	13
District of Columbia	$70,588	1
Florida	$42,313	41
Georgia	$47,563	17
Hawaii	$36,583	51
Idaho	$38,103	50
Illinois	$50,637	6
Indiana	$43,748	37
Iowa	$43,901	36
Kansas	$44,236	31
Kentucky	$44,198	32
Louisiana	$45,516	24
Maine	$39,075	48
Maryland	$48,058	15
Massachusetts	$55,560	2
Michigan	$48,088	14
Minnesota	$49,440	10
Mississippi	$39,343	47
Missouri	$46,743	20
Montana	$38,116	49
Nebraska	$42,427	40
Nevada	$43,406	38
New Hampshire	$44,774	28
New Jersey	$51,611	5
New Mexico	$42,542	39
New York	$54,156	4
North Carolina	$45,389	27
North Dakota	$47,367	18
Ohio	$47,274	19
Oklahoma	$44,123	34
Oregon	$44,195	33
Pennsylvania	$47,655	16
Rhode Island	$45,797	23
South Carolina	$41,678	44
South Dakota	$40,611	45
Tennessee	$46,398	22
Texas	$49,933	7
Utah	$42,133	42
Vermont	$40,414	46
Virginia	$49,134	12
Washington	$49,271	11
West Virginia	$44,072	35
Wisconsin	$44,280	30
Wyoming	$45,439	26

Source

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011.

State Multi-Year Regional Price Parities, 2006-2010, Table 1. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.