Where America's Highest and Lowest Salaries Hide: A State-by-State Breakdown by Age

What you earn doesn’t just depend on your job title—your ZIP code matters just as much. A comprehensive analysis of median income data across all 50 states reveals striking disparities in earning potential based on both age and geography.

The Big Picture: Who’s Earning What

According to recent research, Generation X dominates the national earnings landscape, bringing in the highest average salaries overall. However, this advantage disappears entirely in certain parts of the country. Meanwhile, Gen Z faces the steepest earning challenges, particularly concentrated in specific regions. Baby boomers show varied income patterns, with some retirees in Hawaii significantly outearning their peers in other states.

The data exposes a troubling truth: a 45-64 year old in Maryland or Hawaii can earn more than double what their same-aged counterpart makes in Mississippi or Louisiana.

The Top Earners: Where Six Figures Become Normal

Several states emerge as clear winners for career professionals in their peak earning years (ages 45-64):

Maryland leads the pack with a median income of $119,307 for the 45-64 age group—nearly double Mississippi’s $60,998 for the same demographic. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New Hampshire all exceed $114,000 for this age bracket.

New York’s landscape deserves special attention when examining average salary by age. Young professionals (ages 25-44) in NYC average $92,270, while their counterparts in Maryland earn $98,953 and those in Massachusetts reach $108,536. For the 45-64 bracket, New Yorkers see median earnings of $93,854, positioning the state in the middle-to-upper range nationally.

Hawaii presents an interesting case: despite ranking lower for working-age populations, baby boomers there achieve the highest median retirement income at $77,957—significantly above the national average.

The Wealth Divide: States Where Young Workers Struggle

The bottom of the earnings spectrum tells a different story. West Virginia shows the most challenging conditions for Gen Z, with 15-24 year-olds earning just $27,380—less than half what their peers earn in Alaska ($60,279) or New Hampshire ($58,255).

Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas form a cluster of lower-earning states across all age groups. Mississippi particularly stands out as universally underperforming, with no age demographic exceeding $58,641 in median income.

New Mexico and Alabama also struggle with compressed wage ranges—young workers there earn considerably less than in high-performing states, and the progression through career stages doesn’t increase earnings proportionally.

The Middle Ground: Steady Earners

States like Colorado, California, Arizona, and Minnesota occupy the sweet spot. They offer:

• Solid entry-level income for young workers ($48,000-$55,000 range)
• Strong mid-career growth to $95,000-$100,000
• Peak earning potential exceeding $105,000 for ages 45-64

Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Oregon provide similar stability with slightly lower peaks but more equitable distribution across age groups.

Key Patterns Across Generations

For ages 15-24: Income ranges from $27,380 (West Virginia) to $60,279 (Alaska)—a 120% difference that hints at vastly different economic opportunities for entry-level workers.

For ages 25-44: This career-building phase shows the widest spread, from $58,641 (Mississippi) to $108,536 (Massachusetts)—an 85% variance that reflects how state economies value developing professionals.

For ages 45-64: The peak earning years reveal a $58,309 gap between Hawaii’s $108,693 and Mississippi’s $50,384—yet here’s where experience should theoretically level the playing field, but geography still dominates.

For ages 65+: Retirement income disparities remain stark, from $41,013 (Mississippi) to $77,957 (Hawaii)—a troubling indicator that regional wealth gaps persist into retirement.

What This Means For Your Career Decisions

The data suggests that relocating for work isn’t merely about following a job opportunity—it’s about entering an entirely different earnings ecosystem. A professional who could earn $75,000 in Mississippi might command $95,000 for the identical role in Minnesota, and potentially $110,000+ in Massachusetts or Maryland.

For those asking where to position themselves career-wise, the answer increasingly depends on location. While high-cost-of-living states like New York, California, and Massachusetts offer top nominal salaries, they’re often offset by expense ratios that can actually result in lower real purchasing power than mid-tier states like Colorado or Minnesota offer.

The research makes one thing clear: in America’s economy, your paycheck is determined by three factors—your skills, your experience level, and fundamentally, where you choose to work.

Data sourced from Scholaroo research, current as of May 29, 2024