Infographic: The Average Hourly Wage by U.S. State

Key Takeaways

Washington, D.C. has the highest average hourly wage in the U.S., standing at $51.30.
Eight of the 10 lowest-paying states are in the South.

U.S. workers earned an average of $35.06 per hour in 2024, an 8.8% rise in real terms since 2015. Yet there are wide disparities across states. Average real wages in Washington, D.C. are almost double those in Mississippi. Meanwhile, California’s average, at $39.50, is lifted by the concentration of high-paying jobs in the tech sector.

This graphic shows average hourly real wages by state, based on data from the Economic Policy Institute.