Best states for pediatrics
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 pediatrics, adjusted take-home is highest in Louisiana at $286,222 — about 278% further than District of Columbia, the lowest of the 49 states BLS publishes.
| # | State | Annual mean | Est. take-home | Adjusted take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | $378,020 | $252,448 | $286,222 |
| 2 | South Dakota | $288,400 | $207,267 | $233,936 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | $257,980 | $176,219 | $200,705 |
| 4 | Montana | $284,770 | $189,330 | $200,137 |
| 5 | Alaska | $282,020 | $203,270 | $198,506 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $242,000 | $174,011 | $195,518 |
| 7 | Idaho | $273,550 | $183,239 | $191,873 |
| 8 | Alabama | $237,810 | $163,041 | $183,605 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $255,760 | $186,525 | $179,007 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $245,400 | $167,833 | $178,356 |
| 11 | Iowa | $221,690 | $155,734 | $177,374 |
| 12 | Missouri | $225,730 | $157,082 | $172,998 |
| 13 | Mississippi | $214,380 | $150,468 | $172,952 |
| 14 | Ohio | $223,710 | $159,121 | $171,467 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $236,790 | $166,802 | $170,904 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $233,160 | $158,840 | $169,520 |
| 17 | Arizona | $239,830 | $170,446 | $169,261 |
| 18 | Kansas | $221,860 | $152,179 | $168,900 |
| 19 | Maine | $243,380 | $162,577 | $167,433 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $216,420 | $151,371 | $164,177 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $210,390 | $146,572 | $162,677 |
| 22 | Illinois | $225,740 | $155,643 | $155,643 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $228,400 | $153,107 | $155,281 |
| 24 | Utah | $220,460 | $153,320 | $155,025 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $188,280 | $140,198 | $152,555 |
| 26 | Indiana | $195,330 | $139,593 | $149,617 |
| 27 | Texas | $194,140 | $144,566 | $148,884 |
| 28 | Massachusetts | $228,920 | $157,459 | $148,827 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $182,700 | $129,092 | $148,552 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $215,550 | $150,920 | $147,527 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $188,030 | $132,621 | $147,030 |
| 32 | Delaware | $213,680 | $146,028 | $146,321 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $220,010 | $151,005 | $145,758 |
| 34 | Vermont | $207,630 | $142,054 | $144,953 |
| 35 | Virginia | $210,010 | $144,978 | $143,401 |
| 36 | Oregon | $228,070 | $147,792 | $142,932 |
| 37 | Michigan | $195,760 | $137,454 | $142,884 |
| 38 | Washington | $201,120 | $149,760 | $139,963 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $183,450 | $129,342 | $137,160 |
| 40 | Colorado | $199,990 | $140,788 | $136,555 |
| 41 | Maryland | $202,610 | $140,852 | $134,145 |
| 42 | California | $221,480 | $147,396 | $133,149 |
| 43 | New York | $205,770 | $141,886 | $131,498 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $164,720 | $116,238 | $129,875 |
| 45 | Florida | $172,610 | $128,732 | $124,499 |
| 46 | New Jersey | $194,010 | $134,237 | $123,380 |
| 47 | Georgia | $153,380 | $107,968 | $112,116 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $177,890 | $120,230 | $109,300 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $116,210 | $83,137 | $75,648 |
Method: annual mean wage from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (“Pediatricians, General”, 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 49 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.