Best states for neurology
Ranked by what's actually left: each state's wage, minus estimated federal, FICA and state income tax, then adjusted for local prices. The biggest headline salary is often not the best deal.
For neurology, adjusted take-home is highest in South Carolina at $243,507 — about 129% further than West Virginia, the lowest of the 24 states BLS publishes.
| # | State | Annual mean | Est. take-home | Adjusted take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina | $354,250 | $228,166 | $243,507 |
| 2 | Arizona | $358,190 | $242,411 | $240,726 |
| 3 | Texas | $325,270 | $230,366 | $237,246 |
| 4 | Arkansas | $296,780 | $201,122 | $231,441 |
| 5 | Alaska | $335,530 | $236,794 | $231,244 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $292,700 | $209,961 | $228,467 |
| 7 | Kentucky | $301,190 | $203,363 | $225,458 |
| 8 | Vermont | $344,860 | $218,611 | $223,072 |
| 9 | Indiana | $303,170 | $207,425 | $222,320 |
| 10 | Colorado | $336,450 | $223,227 | $216,515 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $305,290 | $202,783 | $215,497 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $330,010 | $207,871 | $210,823 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $284,770 | $193,432 | $205,124 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $266,560 | $180,648 | $200,497 |
| 15 | Washington | $274,740 | $198,709 | $185,709 |
| 16 | Maryland | $281,640 | $188,608 | $179,627 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $274,340 | $182,779 | $176,428 |
| 18 | California | $306,860 | $194,267 | $175,490 |
| 19 | Illinois | $258,020 | $175,237 | $175,237 |
| 20 | Florida | $241,970 | $177,472 | $171,636 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $276,260 | $178,970 | $162,848 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $243,370 | $165,015 | $151,668 |
| 23 | New York | $204,900 | $141,298 | $130,953 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $131,410 | $95,076 | $106,230 |
Method: annual mean wage from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (“Neurologists”, May 2025); take-home estimated for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only — Tax Foundation for state brackets); adjusted using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (2024) price levels where US average = 100. Only states with both a published wage and a published price level can be ranked honestly, so 24 states appear. This is an estimate for comparison, not tax advice, and wages exclude many self-employed/partnership physicians. VitalPost shows sourced public data for context only.