Licensed practical nurses (LPN), or licensed vocational nurses (LVN) as they are known in some states, work in varied healthcare settings, including skilled nursing facilities, physician offices, home healthcare agencies, hospitals, and assisted living centers.  As of May 2023,  the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that more than 630,000 LPNs and LVNs were employed in the U.S.  The BLS further estimated that, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for LPNs and LVNs was $60,790 per year.  From state to state there was considerable variation in the average annual wages earned by LPNs and LVNs, with practitioners in some regions of the country earning 50% or more than their counterparts elsewhere.  A deeper examination of BLS data as of May 2023 reveals the following as the ten best and worst states for licensed practical nurse pay.

The Best and Worst States for Licensed Practical Nurse Pay

Best Paying States
California	$76,580
Rhode Island	$75,470
Washington	$75,410
Alaska	$74,260
Massachusetts	$73,400
New Hampshire	$71,770
Maine	$71,430
Oregon	$71,180
Connecticut	$68,150
District of Columbia	$68,120

Worst Paying States
Georgia	$55,090
Idaho	$54,600
Oklahoma	$51,880
Louisiana	$51,700
Tennessee	$50,430
West Virginia	$50,090
South Dakota	$49,580
Arkansas	$49,360
Mississippi	$49,050
Alabama	$48,320

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 28, 2024

There were more than 3,175,000 registered nurses (RNs) working in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  RNs work in varied healthcare settings, including hospitals, physician offices, home healthcare agencies, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient care centers. Like many other healthcare professionals with advanced training and skills, registered nurses usually earn higher salaries and wages than workers in most other occupations.  Per BLS estimates, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for registered nurses was $94,480 per year.  While RNs realize better than average pay in comparison to most workers, the annual mean wage for registered nurses varies widely from state to state.  Per BLS data, as of May 2023, these were the ten best and worst states for registered nurse pay based on annual mean wage levels:

The Best and Worst States for Registered Nurse Pay

Best Paying States
California	$137,690
Hawaii	$119,710
Oregon	$113,440
Washington	$111,030
Alaska	$109,210
Massachusetts	$108,850
District of Columbia	$106,850
New York	$106,620
New Jersey	$101,960
Connecticut	$101,840

Worst Paying States
North Dakota	$79,190
Tennessee	$78,240
Missouri	$77,590
Kansas	$76,240
West Virginia	$75,990
Mississippi	$75,510
Iowa	$74,610
Arkansas	$72,900
Alabama	$71,370
South Dakota	$69,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 22, 2024

There were about 145,700 physician assistant jobs in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Physician assistants mostly work in physician offices and hospital facilities, with smaller numbers of PAs working in outpatient care centers, academic institutions, and offices of other types of healthcare practitioners. Because of their training and the range of supervised physician services they can provide, physician assistants generally earn more than most healthcare occupations, excluding certain high-skill clinical occupations in medicine and dentistry.  The BLS estimated that, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for physician assistants was $130,490 per year.  There is, however, wide variation in the average annual wages earned by physician assistants from state to state.  According to BLS data, here are the ten best and worst states for physician assistant pay (based on annual mean wage levels) as of May 2023:

The Best and Worst States for Physician Assistant Pay

Best Paying States
Nevada	$154,800
California	$153,960
Washington	$152,800
Connecticut	$149,300
Alaska	$148,480
New Jersey	$148,350
Oregon	$141,810
Vermont	$139,850
Wyoming	$139,060
New York	$138,410

Worst Paying States
Pennsylvania	$119,760
Kansas	$119,470
Maryland	$117,280
Georgia	$115,650
South Carolina	$114,310
Idaho	$113,870
Tennessee	$113,690
Kentucky	$99,290
Alabama	$96,210
Arkansas	$88,720

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 20, 2024

There were approximately 112,000 family medicine physicians working in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports.  Most family medicine physicians work in physician offices, with smaller numbers working in hospitals, outpatient care centers, educational institutions, and local government entities. Like many other healthcare professionals with advanced training and technical skills, family medicine physicians earn salaries and wages that are materially higher than the average salary or wage earned by workers in most other occupations. Per BLS estimates, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for family medicine physicians was $240,790.  Pay for the profession varies widely from state to state, with family medicine physicians in some states making significantly more than what their counterparts earn elsewhere. As of May 2023, according to BLS data, the following were the ten best and worst states for family medicine physician pay (based on annual mean wage levels):

The Best and Worst States for Family Medicine Physician Pay

Best Paying States
Wyoming	$303,190
Mississippi	$292,020
Arizona	$288,700
South Carolina	$283,300
Kentucky	$282,140
Wisconsin	$276,580
Georgia	$274,650
Iowa	$274,300
Alaska	$273,740
Nebraska	$268,740

Worst Paying States
Texas	$214,720
New Jersey	$213,320
South Dakota	$212,300
Rhode Island	$212,130
Vermont	$212,050
West Virginia	$182,890
Michigan	$178,030
Illinois	$167,480
Ohio	$162,180
Arkansas	$129,110

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 20, 2024

Best and Worst States for Dental Assistant Pay

There were nearly 370,700 dental assistants at work in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to data released recently by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  The vast majority of dental assistants work in dental offices, but small numbers may be found working with employment agencies, physician offices, and outpatient care centers. While dental assistants must possess some technical understanding, their duties are generally administrative in nature and do not require the kind of advanced skills or training required in many other healthcare occupations. Dental assistants, on average, earn lower salaries than workers in most other occupations. As of May 2023, the BLS estimated that the national mean wage for dental assistants was $47,350 per year.  Pay for the profession varies considerably from state to state, with dental assistants in some states making significantly more than what their professional peers made elsewhere.  Based on annual mean wage levels, May 2023 BLS data indicated that these were the best and worst states for dental assistant pay:

The Best and Worst States for Dental Assistant Pay

Best Paying States
Minnesota	$62,760
Massachusetts	$56,810
Oregon	$55,960
District of Columbia	$55,100
New Hampshire	$54,190
Washington	$54,190
North Dakota	$54,010
Vermont	$53,860
Alaska	$53,020
California	$52,470

Worst Paying States
Kansas	$41,140
Kentucky	$41,090
New Mexico	$40,530
Arkansas	$40,440
Idaho	$40,200
West Virginia	$39,890
Utah	$39,350
Louisiana	$38,290
Mississippi	$37,610
Alabama	$37,440

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 15, 2024

The Best and Worst States for Dental Hygienist Pay

There were approximately 211,600 dental hygienists at work in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports.  Most dental hygienists work in dental offices, but small numbers may be found working with employment agencies, physician offices, and outpatient care centers. Like many other trained healthcare professionals with advanced technical skills, dental hygienists earn salaries and wages in excess of that earned by workers in most other occupations. Per BLS estimates, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for dental hygienists was $89,890 annually.  Pay for the profession varies widely from state to state, with dental hygienists in some states making more than twice what their counterparts made elsewhere.  As of May 2023, according to BLS data, these were the best and worst states for dental hygienist pay based on annual mean wage levels:

Best Paying States
Washington	$123,510
California	$118,330
Alaska	$115,980
District of Columbia	$113,600
Oregon	$103,440
Colorado	$101,790
Maryland	$101,140
Delaware	$98,660
Massachusetts	$96,410
New Jersey	$95,700

Worst Paying States
Utah	$78,910
Arkansas	$78,040
Pennsylvania	$77,010
South Carolina	$76,950
Michigan	$76,800
Tennessee	$75,920
Kentucky	$73,850
West Virginia	$68,820
Mississippi	$62,120
Alabama	$54,460

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 15, 2024

The Best and Worst States for Chiropractor Pay

As of May 2023, there were just under 41,500 chiropractors employed in the U.S. according to data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Per that same data, the BLS estimated that the national mean wage for chiropractors was $89,760 per year.  While most chiropractors earn incomes in excess of the average annual wage for most workers, there is a wide disparity from state-to-state in chiropractors' annual mean wages.  An examination of May 2023 BLS data shows that these were the best and worst states for chiropractor pay (based on annual mean wage levels):

Best Paying States
Alaska	$134,020
Arkansas	$110,110
Nevada	$107,920
Oklahoma	$103,330
New Jersey	$102,500
Connecticut	$97,200
Washington	$96,390
Hawaii	$95,610
Vermont	$94,070
Texas	$94,040

Worst Paying States
Maryland	$73,940
South Carolina	$72,810
Missouri	$72,730
Alabama	$72,540
Nebraska	$72,260
Rhode Island	$71,650
Iowa	$69,650
Ilinois	$69,480
Tennessee	$69,180
Wyoming	$62,530

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 15, 2024

The Best and Worst States for Health Services Management Pay

There were just under 515,000 health services management jobs in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Health services managers, ranging from chief executives to front-line supervisors, play a key role in maximizing the operational effectiveness of a wide variety of healthcare businesses, including hospitals, physicians' offices, outpatient care centers, skilled nursing facilities, and home health care service providers. Because of this key operational role, health services management positions tend to pay more than most healthcare occupations, excluding certain high-skill clinical occupations in medicine and dentistry.  The BLS estimated that, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for health service managers was $134,440 per year. An examination of May 2023 BLS data shows that, based on annual mean wage levels, these were the best and worst states for health services management pay:

Best Paying States
New York	$179,160
District of Columbia	$170,710
Delaware	$164,190
New Jersey	$162,430
Massachusetts	$158,540
California	$156,140
Washington	$152,880
Maryland	$150,590
New Hampshire	$150,090
Oregon	$149,450

Worst Paying States
Nebraska	$115,090
Oklahoma	$113,940
Louisiana	$113,400
Indiana	$112,690
Iowa	$109,880
Kentucky	$109,640
Wyoming	$107,750
Alabama	$99,270
Arkansas	$97,250
Mississippi	$95,140

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 15, 2024

The Best and Worst States for General Dentist Pay

There were approximately 121,600 general dentists employed in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports.  Most general dentists work in dental offices, but smaller numbers work in physician offices, outpatient care centers, hospitals, and with state government entities. Like many other trained healthcare professionals with advanced technical skills, general dentists earn salaries and wages in excess of that earned by workers in most other occupations. Per BLS estimates, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for general dentists was $191,750 annually.  Pay for the profession varies widely from state to state, with general dentists in some states making almost double what their counterparts earn elsewhere. According to May 2023 BLS data, based on annual mean wage levels, here are the best and worst states for general dentist pay:

Best Paying States
Vermont	$260,380
Maryland	$234,670
Arizona	$231,890
Delaware	$227,200
Texas	$220,000
Washington	$216,280
Connecticut	$215,340
Maine	$214,810
Minnesota	$211,100
Georgia	$208,560

Worst Paying States
Illinois	$165,760
Tennessee	$164,410
Louisiana	$164,340
New York	$158,130
Hawaii	$154,860
Colorado	$149,810
Nevada	$144,420
South Dakota	$142,830
Utah	$139,970
Mississippi	$130,550

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on April 15, 2024

In its most current occupational data reports, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were over 229,700 physical therapists (PTs) employed in the United States as of May 2022.  At that time, nearly 34,900 of those employed as physical therapists in the U.S. lived in the six-state Far West region of the country.  The Far West region was the best in the nation for PT pay, with five states in the region ranking among the ten best states in the U.S. for physical therapist annual mean wages.  That included California and Nevada, which rated #1 and #2, respectively, for that pay metric for physical therapists.  A closer look at BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about PT employment and physical therapist pay in the Far West region:

Physical Therapist Pay in the Far West Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AK	610	$104,470	4th
CA	24,100	$114,230	1st
HI	1,030	$100,130	9th
NV	1,560	$105,880	2nd
OR	2,770	$96,010	21st
WA	4,810	$101,130	8th
U.S.	229,740	$97,960	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on March 30, 2024

May 2022 data published recently by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put the number of pharmacists working in the United States at over 325,000.  The twelve-state Southeastern U.S. was home to over 88,700 employed pharmacists at that time.  With only one state having a pharmacist annual mean wage level above the national average, and six states in the region ranking among the bottom ten states nationally for pharmacist annual mean wages, the Southeastern U.S. was the worst region in the country for pharmacist pay.  A more detailed examination of BLS data from May 2022 reveals the following about pharmacist pay in the Southeastern U.S.:

Pharmacist Pay in the Southeastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AL	5,650	$125,820	29th
AR	3,180	$120,440	49th
FL	22,420	$121,560	42nd
GA	10,320	$125,290	33rd
KY	5,320	$127,410	25th
LA	5,010	$121,090	47th
MS	3,220	$121,860	41st
NC	11,110	$128,330	18th
SC	5,150	$121,120	46th
TN	7,780	$120,600	48th
VA	7,250	$130,350	14th
WV	2,360	$119,000	50th
U.S.	325,480	$129,410	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on March 30, 2024

The most recent occupational employment numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that over 187,700 medical records specialists were employed in the U.S. as of May 2022. With over 6,200 medical records specialists employed at that time, the five-state Rocky Mountain region accounted for about 3.3% of medical records specialist employment in the United States.  BLS data revealed the Rocky Mountain region to be a modestly weak one for medical records specialist pay, with about 57% of employed medical records specialists in the region living in a state where the annual mean wage for the profession was below the national average. Further examination of May 2022 BLS data provides the following details about medical records specialist pay in the Rocky Mountain region.:

Medical Records Specialist Pay in the Rocky Mountain Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
CO	2,340	$53,410	13th
ID	1,460	$48,060	29th
MT	790	$46,530	38th
UT	1,310	$50,230	20th
WY	360	$52,330	15th
U.S.	187,720	$51,090	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data accessed on March 17, 2024