How Salaries, Standard of Living Vary by State

Every talent manager knows salary and lifestyle go hand in hand. But depending on which state you live in, the same salary can afford vastly different lifestyles.

Based on city and state taxes, housing prices and other standard of living measures, a person's salary in, say, Mississippi can go a lot further on the lifestyle front than it would in New York.

This fun little Web tool from Rasmussen College uses U.S. government data on salary and standard of living to figure out, based on occupation, which states can stretch certain salaries the furthest.

So which state gets the most out of workers' paychecks? According to the tool, workers in Washington, D.C., earn the most both before and after taxes.

Click to see how far your salary can go.

This story originally appeared in Workforce's sister publication, Talent Management.