Conversations about how much money we make often make people comfortable. For most, it’s a complete no-no, although some are happy to reveal their own personal earnings. How dependent that is on how high the figures are is unproven, although many would argue that it’s easy to guess.
Thanks to study undertaken by Scholaroo, we can now go some way to avoiding such an awkward discussion. The online platform, which helps students find college scholarships and offers other personal finance-related advice, has published the median salaries for people of different ages in every U.S. state, with interesting results.
In case your high school math is failing you, remember the median is the middle number of a list of numbers sorted from highest to lowest. The average can sometimes be distorted by particularly large, or small, outliers.
Median salary per state in the United States
Alabama
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $29,426
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $29,426
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $73,784
Median income for ages 65 and over: $47,114
Alaska
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $60,279
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $96,771
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $102,313
Median income for ages 65 and over: $66,292
Arizona
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $50,398
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $81,195
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $92,454
Median income for ages 65 and over: $57,507
Arkansas
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $40,558
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $63,320
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $64,247
Median income for ages 65 and over: $42,943
California
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $49,532
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $100,620
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $107,236
Median income for ages 65 and over: $65,628
Colorado
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $48,585
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $99,253
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $106,655
Median income for ages 65 and over: $63,445
Connecticut
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $45,347
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $97,380
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $107,844
Median income for ages 65 and over: $65,053
Delaware
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $41,216
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $90,172
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $98,135
Median income for ages 65 and over: $62,733
Florida
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $42,617
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $77,487
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $82,587
Median income for ages 65 and over: $52,625
Georgia
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $41,018
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $78,182
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $87,602
Median income for ages 65 and over: $51,664
Hawaii
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $55,320
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $94,201
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $108,693
Median income for ages 65 and over: $77,957
Idaho
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $44,999
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $82,710
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $86,632
Median income for ages 65 and over: $52,132
Illinois
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $39,545
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $86,623
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $92,666
Median income for ages 65 and over: $55,071
Indiana
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $37,133
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $76,734
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $82,433
Median income for ages 65 and over: $48,309
Iowa
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $42,262
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $79,279
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $88,331
Median income for ages 65 and over: $52,006
Kansas
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $36,935
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $79,212
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $84,943
Median income for ages 65 and over: $52,203
Kentucky
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $37,769
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $69,081
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $70,914
Median income for ages 65 and over: $43,927
Louisiana
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $34,407
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $64,889
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $64,298
Median income for ages 65 and over: $42,215
Maine
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $49,037
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $81,193
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $82,775
Median income for ages 65 and over: $51,870
Maryland
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $48,457
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $98,953
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $119,307
Median income for ages 65 and over: $69,070
Massachusetts
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $53,615
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $108,536
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $115,864
Median income for ages 65 and over: $60,810
Michigan
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $40,683
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $75,984
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $82,652
Median income for ages 65 and over: $51,010
Minnesota
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $48,813
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $94,868
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $102,552
Median income for ages 65 and over: $56,839
Mississippi
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $36,457
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $58,641
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $60,998
Median income for ages 65 and over: $41,013
Missouri
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $38,273
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $74,132
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $78,791
Median income for ages 65 and over: $48,298
Montana
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $41,174
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $80,901
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $79,817
Median income for ages 65 and over: $48,165
Nebraska
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $37,867
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $79,871
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $88,391
Median income for ages 65 and over: $51,974
Nevada
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $51,199
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $77,839
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $84,647
Median income for ages 65 and over: $54,959
New Hampshire
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $58,255
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $101,859
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $114,313
Median income for ages 65 and over: $59,946
New Jersey
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $52,624
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $106,274
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $117,412
Median income for ages 65 and over: $65,988
New Mexico
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $30,195
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $66,010
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $70,567
Median income for ages 65 and over: $50,240
New York
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $43,121
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $92,270
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $93,854
Median income for ages 65 and over: $55,878
North Carolina
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $43,453
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $74,876
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $81,185
Median income for ages 65 and over: $49,781
North Dakota
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $40,508
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $82,358
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $90,744
Median income for ages 65 and over: $56,319
Ohio
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $38,314
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $75,119
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $81,640
Median income for ages 65 and over: $49,081
Oklahoma
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $35,945
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $65,842
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $71,172
Median income for ages 65 and over: $47,259
Oregon
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $45,239
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $86,934
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $89,663
Median income for ages 65 and over: $55,973
Pennsylvania
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $40,784
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $83,481
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $88,589
Median income for ages 65 and over: $50,330
Rhode Island
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $53,236
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $93,542
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $99,092
Median income for ages 65 and over: $55,691
South Carolina
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $40,620
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $72,086
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $76,234
Median income for ages 65 and over: $50,287
South Dakota
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $44,195
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $80,824
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $84,326
Median income for ages 65 and over: $50,665
Tennessee
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $42,104
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $71,706
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $80,307
Median income for ages 65 and over: $48,478
Texas
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $38,563
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $77,881
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $88,321
Median income for ages 65 and over: $52,331
Utah
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $54,506
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $95,206
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $111,825
Median income for ages 65 and over: $63,225
Vermont
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $41,265
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $88,484
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $91,631
Median income for ages 65 and over: $53,245
Virginia
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $44,335
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $93,923
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $107,552
Median income for ages 65 and over: $61,447
Washington
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $54,660
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $102,996
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $110,130
Median income for ages 65 and over: $62,597
West Virginia
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $27,380
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $64,761
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $66,250
Median income for ages 65 and over: $41,438
Wisconsin
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $42,103
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $83,689
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $86,861
Median income for ages 65 and over: $50,167
Wyoming
Median income for ages 15 to 24: $39,353
Median income for ages 25 to 44: $83,815
Median income for ages 45 to 64: $79,563
Median income for ages 65 and over: $53,229
The highest and lowest median earns in the U.S.
Generally speaking, people aged between 45 and 64 (roughly Generation X) are the highest earners, with a few exceptions in some states.
The highest earners in that bracket, and of people of any age, are in Maryland, where the median salary is $119,307, just ahead of New Jersey ($117,412).
The lowest earners between the ages of 45 and 64 are found in Mississippi ($60,998). The Magnolia State has the lowest median salaries in each age category apart from 15 to 24 (Generation Z), who earn the lowest in West Virginia ($27,380).
Alaska ($60,239) is the best place to live for young people, in terms of median salary, while baby boomers (65 and over) earn the most in Hawaii ($77,957).