Highest-Paying Metros for All Occupations 2026: Median Wage Ranked (BLS OEWS)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — all occupations (SOC 00-0000), metropolitan statistical areas. Tables computed by Salario; take-home estimates use 2026 tax rules.
“Average salary by city” lists usually mix household income, self-reported job-board pay and modeled estimates. This ranking uses one number for every metro: the BLS median annual wage across all occupations, from the employer survey that covers about 155million jobs. It is the fairest single answer to “what does a typical worker in this metro earn?” — and it is public, so every figure below can be checked at bls.gov/oes.
Quick answer
- U.S. median wage, all occupations: $50,980 ($24.51/hour); mean $69,770 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
- Highest-paying metro: San Jose, CA — $84,050 (65% above the national median). Then San Francisco, CA $74,260, Seattle, WA $72,610, Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV $71,060, Boulder $69,580.
- Lowest: Eagle Pass, TX — $35,560; the top-to-bottom spread across 340 metros is 2.4x.
- New York, the largest job market (9,492,000 jobs), ranks only #12 at $61,430; after estimated 2026 taxes its median worker nets about $48,819, less than Seattle's $59,911.
The 40 highest-paying metros (all occupations)
Ranked by the BLS median annual wage across every occupation in each metropolitan statistical area. Mean wage and total employment are shown for context; the take-home column is Salario's 2026 single-filer estimate. Click a metro for its full salary and cost-of-living page.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Hourly | Mean wage | Jobs | Est. take-home 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $84,050 | $40.41 | $119,230 | 1,134,970 | $64,235 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $74,260 | $35.70 | $100,220 | 2,373,920 | $58,204 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $72,610 | $34.91 | $91,790 | 2,086,210 | $59,911 |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $71,060 | $34.16 | $91,930 | 3,136,190 | $55,648 |
| 5 | Boulder, CO | $69,580 | $33.45 | $91,760 | 192,390 | $55,426 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $66,620 | $32.03 | $89,620 | 2,703,890 | $52,366 |
| 7 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $63,490 | $30.52 | $82,560 | 240,190 | $51,179 |
| 8 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $63,200 | $30.38 | $77,020 | 93,740 | $52,961 |
| 9 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $62,320 | $29.96 | $81,690 | 1,609,350 | $50,220 |
| 10 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $61,960 | $29.79 | $75,470 | 130,300 | $51,965 |
| 11 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $61,810 | $29.71 | $73,460 | 36,430 | $51,844 |
| 12 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,430 | $29.53 | $86,310 | 9,492,000 | $48,819 |
| 13 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $60,720 | $29.19 | $79,700 | 344,020 | $49,055 |
| 14 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $60,690 | $29.18 | $78,430 | 1,208,410 | $46,208 |
| 15 | Rochester, MN | $60,620 | $29.15 | $80,590 | 122,980 | $48,289 |
| 16 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $60,020 | $28.86 | $74,360 | 120,150 | $48,555 |
| 17 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $59,750 | $28.73 | $77,150 | 1,080,590 | $48,412 |
| 18 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $59,590 | $28.65 | $71,790 | 52,600 | $50,061 |
| 19 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $59,320 | $28.52 | $74,580 | 1,951,650 | $47,333 |
| 20 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $59,070 | $28.40 | $76,370 | 1,356,680 | $47,049 |
| 21 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $58,690 | $28.21 | $79,060 | 1,538,060 | $47,623 |
| 22 | Vallejo, CA | $58,620 | $28.18 | $74,900 | 144,130 | $47,571 |
| 23 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $58,460 | $28.10 | $71,830 | 449,410 | $46,593 |
| 24 | Madison, WI | $58,080 | $27.92 | $70,990 | 408,070 | $47,042 |
| 25 | Worcester, MA | $57,830 | $27.80 | $73,600 | 349,880 | $45,755 |
| 26 | Bellingham, WA | $57,820 | $27.80 | $71,310 | 91,390 | $48,638 |
| 27 | Corvallis, OR | $57,680 | $27.73 | $74,000 | 38,550 | $44,053 |
| 28 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $57,640 | $27.71 | $68,720 | 73,750 | $45,830 |
| 29 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $57,420 | $27.61 | $68,090 | 41,070 | $48,317 |
| 30 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $57,290 | $27.54 | $73,460 | 129,490 | $48,213 |
| 31 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $57,220 | $27.51 | $71,940 | 446,380 | $45,524 |
| 32 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $57,030 | $27.42 | $70,730 | 65,670 | $45,152 |
| 33 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $56,960 | $27.39 | $70,020 | 288,480 | $45,423 |
| 34 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $56,950 | $27.38 | $74,580 | 1,293,690 | $47,939 |
| 35 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $56,850 | $27.33 | $73,640 | 205,260 | $46,255 |
| 36 | Carson City, NV | $56,680 | $27.25 | $68,900 | 31,940 | $47,722 |
| 37 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $56,530 | $27.18 | $72,800 | 199,560 | $47,602 |
| 38 | Barnstable Town, MA | $56,360 | $27.10 | $69,930 | 94,110 | $44,647 |
| 39 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $55,850 | $26.85 | $77,270 | 6,271,560 | $45,512 |
| 40 | Ann Arbor, MI | $55,380 | $26.63 | $73,520 | 219,730 | $44,324 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov/oes), all occupations, metropolitan statistical areas. Computed by Salario.
Estimated take-home is for a single filer taking the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100): federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500) and Medicare (1.45%), plus estimated state income tax using the first state listed for multi-state metros. Local taxes, pre-tax benefits and credits are not modeled — use the paycheck calculator for your own situation.
What the ranking shows
Tech and government capitals lead. The four metros above $70,000 — San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC — are the centers of U.S. software and federal employment. Boulder (#5) and Trenton-Princeton (#7) show the same effect at a smaller scale: metros with a heavy mix of research, professional and government employment post a high median for every worker, not just the specialists.
Washington State appears seven times in the top 40 — Seattle, Bremerton, Olympia, Mount Vernon, Bellingham, Longview and Kennewick-Richland — in a state with one of the highest minimum wages in the country and no income tax. Because take-home is what pays rent, the Washington metros gain a rank or two in the after-tax column: Bremerton, WA (#8 on gross pay) nets more than New York (#12).
The biggest cities are not the best-paid. Only four of the ten largest job markets (New York, Washington, Boston and Los Angeles) make the top 40, and Los Angeles scrapes in at #39. Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Miami all sit below $55,000, close to the national median — see the table of the 25 largest metros below.
What the median worker takes home in the 10 largest metros
For the ten largest metropolitan areas by employment, this table runs the all-occupations median through Salario's 2026 take-home estimate and splits the monthly net using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule (needs / wants / savings). It is the quickest way to see how far a “typical” local salary stretches — compare the needs column with local rent on the cost of living calculator.
| Metro area | Median wage | Est. taxes | Take-home / yr | Per month | Needs (50%) | Wants (30%) | Savings (20%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $71,060 | $15,411 | $55,648 | $4,637 | $2,319 | $1,391 | $927 |
| Boston, MA-NH | $66,620 | $14,253 | $52,366 | $4,364 | $2,182 | $1,309 | $873 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $61,430 | $12,611 | $48,819 | $4,068 | $2,034 | $1,220 | $814 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $55,850 | $10,339 | $45,512 | $3,793 | $1,896 | $1,138 | $759 |
| Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $54,310 | $10,159 | $44,151 | $3,679 | $1,840 | $1,104 | $736 |
| Dallas, TX | $51,440 | $7,928 | $43,512 | $3,626 | $1,813 | $1,088 | $725 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $54,720 | $11,281 | $43,439 | $3,620 | $1,810 | $1,086 | $724 |
| Houston, TX | $49,410 | $7,529 | $41,881 | $3,490 | $1,745 | $1,047 | $698 |
| Atlanta, GA | $51,170 | $9,680 | $41,490 | $3,458 | $1,729 | $1,037 | $692 |
| Miami, FL | $48,640 | $7,378 | $41,262 | $3,439 | $1,719 | $1,032 | $688 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 medians; taxes estimated by Salario for a single filer under 2026 federal rules and estimated state income tax (first listed state for multi-state metros). 50/30/20 is a budgeting guideline, not a cost-of-living measurement. Computed by Salario.
The order flips in places once taxes are counted. Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV keeps the largest monthly net ($4,637); Dallas, TX — with no state income tax — nets slightly more than Chicago, IL-IN despite a $3,280 lower gross median.
The 25 largest job markets, ranked by median wage
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. “By size” is the metro's rank by total employment among all U.S. metros. Computed by Salario.
The 10 lowest-paying metros
| Metro area | Median wage | Hourly | Jobs | vs. U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Pass, TX | $35,560 | $17.10 | 18,820 | -30% |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $35,830 | $17.23 | 296,700 | -30% |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $36,490 | $17.54 | 157,450 | -28% |
| Hot Springs, AR | $36,540 | $17.57 | 38,600 | -28% |
| Gadsden, AL | $36,660 | $17.63 | 33,220 | -28% |
| Laredo, TX | $37,250 | $17.91 | 109,370 | -27% |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $37,750 | $18.15 | 62,230 | -26% |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $37,930 | $18.23 | 146,260 | -26% |
| Monroe, LA | $38,150 | $18.34 | 87,500 | -25% |
| Dothan, AL | $38,170 | $18.35 | 60,720 | -25% |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, lowest published all-occupations metro medians. Computed by Salario.
4 of the ten are Texas border metros, where the median hourly wage is below $18.00. Low wages do not automatically mean low living standards — housing in these metros costs a fraction of the coastal figure — but a $35,560 median leaves little room after essentials in any city. The cheapest cities to live in guide covers the cost side.
How to read these numbers
- →Individual wages, not household income. The Census Bureau's 2025 median household income ($87,460, report P60-289, September 2026) counts every earner in a home; the BLS median here is one worker's job. Both are “median income” in headlines, which causes endless confusion — see average household income.
- →Straight-time wages. OEWS excludes overtime, non-production bonuses and employer-paid benefits; annual figures assume 2,080 hours for hourly workers.
- →Occupation mix drives the ranking. A metro's median rises when it has more high-paying jobs, not necessarily because the same job pays more there. For a like-for-like comparison, use the occupation rankings: software developers, registered nurses, electricians and accountants.
- →Reference period May 2025, published by BLS in 2026 — the newest metro-level wage data available.
Frequently asked questions
Which U.S. metro area has the highest median wage?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest median wage across all occupations: $84,050 per year ($40.41 per hour) in the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, 65% above the national all-occupations median of $50,980. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ($74,260), Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue ($72,610), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ($71,060) and Boulder, CO ($69,580) complete the top five.
What is the median wage in the United States?
The BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage across all 155,495,730 jobs covered is $50,980, or $24.51 per hour. The mean is higher, $69,770, because a minority of very high earners pulls the average up. Half of U.S. workers earn less than the median and half earn more. Separately, the Census Bureau's September 2026 report (P60-289) put 2025 median household income at $87,460 — a household figure that combines all earners in a home, so it is not comparable with an individual wage.
Which metro area has the lowest median wage?
Eagle Pass, TX has the lowest published all-occupations median of the 340 metro areas: $35,560 per year ($17.10 per hour). 4 of the 10 lowest-wage metros are on or near the Texas–Mexico border (Eagle Pass, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Brownsville-Harlingen, Laredo); the rest are in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Louisiana. The spread from top to bottom is 2.4x.
Does the highest-wage metro also leave workers the most after taxes?
Yes, but the order below the top changes. Using Salario's 2026 single-filer estimate (federal income tax, FICA and state income tax), the San Jose median of $84,050 nets about $64,235. Seattle's $72,610 nets about $59,911 — more than San Francisco's $74,260 (about $58,204) because Washington has no state income tax. New York's median of $61,430 nets roughly $48,819, less than Bremerton, WA's $63,200 median (about $52,961). Housing costs, which vary far more than taxes, are not included.
Compare your own salary to your metro
See where your pay falls in your city, what it is worth after taxes, and what it would take to match it somewhere else.