These states have the highest — and lowest — median salary: new data
New data released by a payroll site found median annual salaries from $40,000 to over six figures across the country.
DENVER (KDVR) — New data released by a payroll site found Colorado's median annual salary is one of the highest in the country.
ADP, a payroll, human resources and tax services website, found the lowest and highest median salaries by state for people who stay in their jobs. Using the wages and salaries of almost 10 million employees over 12 months, the study found November median annual pay levels ranged from $40,000 to over six figures across the country.
Nationally, the median annual pay for job-stayers in November increased to $59,200. This was the first time in more than two years that the year-over-year pay gains increased, rising by 4.8% for people staying in their roles and 7.2% for people who got new jobs.
The salary range, however, varied by state.
Highest annual salaries in the US
The highest salaries range anywhere from the East Coast to the West Coast, with some of the highest salaries sitting in the middle of the country.
Rank State November median annual pay level 1 Washington D.C. $100,400 2 Massachusetts $75,800 3 Alaska $69,600 4 North Dakota $68,500 5 Colorado $66,300
However, other states make a median of over $15,000, sometimes $20,000, lower than Colorado.
Lowest annual salaries in the US
| Rank | State | November median annual pay level |
| 47 | Nevada | $50,500 |
| 48 | Oregon | $50,100 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $50,000 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $46,000 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $40,200 |
Where annual pay increased the most
According to ADP's analysis, which can be found here, states primarily in the Northwest saw the largest year-over-year increase in median annual pay.
Nowhere was it higher than in Montana, where ADP found the median annual pay jumped 6.5% over the same time last year. It was states in the South that saw the smallest year-over-year increase. Mississippi had the lowest rate, increasing by just 4%.
The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, data from the Labor Department, released on Dec. 3, shows the number of job postings in the United States rebounded in October from a 3 1/2 year low in September, a sign that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled.
The number of people quitting their jobs rose in October, a sign of confidence in the job market. And layoffs tumbled to just 1.6 million — below the lowest figures in the two decades that preceded the 2020 pandemic.
Taken as a whole, Tuesday's figures suggest that the job market might be stabilizing at a modest level, with hiring moderate but layoffs uncommonly low. The unemployment rate is at a low 4.1%, even though job gains slowed sharply in October, according to the monthly jobs report. The slowdown in job growth last month reflected mainly the impact of hurricanes and a strike at Boeing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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