The national average includes all occupations and experience levels. For professional roles like software developers, accountants, and marketing managers, salaries are significantly higher, ranging from $3,500 to $14,000/month depending on role and location. US employer costs are among the highest globally because of mandatory payroll taxes (FICA at 7.65%), unemployment insurance, and employer-sponsored health coverage that adds $7,000-20,000/year per employee.
Salary by Role in the United States
Monthly gross salary in USD across 15 professional roles commonly hired by international employers. Click column headers to sort.
| Role | Entry-level | Mid-level | Senior | Total cost (mid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Software Developer /mo (mid) | $7,000-7,000 | $7,000-12,000 | $12,000-12,000 | $8,750-16,800 |
DevOps / Cloud Engineer /mo (mid) | $8,000-8,000 | $8,000-14,000 | $14,000-14,000 | $10,000-19,600 |
UI/UX Designer /mo (mid) | $5,500-5,500 | $5,500-9,000 | $9,000-9,000 | $6,875-12,600 |
QA / Test Engineer /mo (mid) | $5,500-5,500 | $5,500-9,000 | $9,000-9,000 | $6,875-12,600 |
Customer Support Rep /mo (mid) | $3,000-3,000 | $3,000-4,500 | $4,500-4,500 | $3,750-6,300 |
Customer Success Manager /mo (mid) | $5,000-5,000 | $5,000-8,000 | $8,000-8,000 | $6,250-11,200 |
Executive Assistant /mo (mid) | $4,000-4,000 | $4,000-6,500 | $6,500-6,500 | $5,000-9,100 |
Virtual Assistant / Admin /mo (mid) | $3,000-3,000 | $3,000-5,000 | $5,000-5,000 | $3,750-7,000 |
Bookkeeper / Accountant /mo (mid) | $4,000-4,000 | $4,000-6,500 | $6,500-6,500 | $5,000-9,100 |
Financial Analyst /mo (mid) | $5,500-5,500 | $5,500-9,000 | $9,000-9,000 | $6,875-12,600 |
Digital Marketing Manager /mo (mid) | $5,000-5,000 | $5,000-8,500 | $8,500-8,500 | $6,250-11,900 |
SEO Specialist /mo (mid) | $4,000-4,000 | $4,000-7,000 | $7,000-7,000 | $5,000-9,800 |
Graphic Designer /mo (mid) | $4,000-4,000 | $4,000-6,500 | $6,500-6,500 | $5,000-9,100 |
Content Writer / Copywriter /mo (mid) | $3,500-3,500 | $3,500-6,000 | $6,000-6,000 | $4,375-8,400 |
Operations Manager /mo (mid) | $5,000-5,000 | $5,000-8,000 | $8,000-8,000 | $6,250-11,200 |
"Total cost (mid)" applies the 1.25-1.4x multiplier. All figures in USD.
What US Employers Actually Pay
A US employee's salary is only part of the total cost. Federal and state taxes, insurance, and benefits add 25-40% on top of gross pay.
An employee earning $6,000/month ($72,000/year) costs approximately: $6,000 salary + $459 FICA (7.65%) + ~$100 unemployment + ~$45 workers' comp + ~$625 health insurance = $7,229/month ($86,750/year). That's a 1.20x multiplier before any 401(k) match, PTO accrual, or other benefits. With a full benefits package, the multiplier reaches 1.30-1.40x.
Average Salary by State
Salaries vary by 30-60% between the highest and lowest-paying states. The difference is driven by cost of living, industry mix, and local labor market conditions.
| State | Avg annual salary↓ | Avg monthly | Min wage ($/hr) | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $82,000 | $6,833 | $17.50 | South |
| Massachusetts | $76,600 | $6,383 | $15.00 | Northeast |
| Washington | $72,300 | $6,025 | $17.13 | West |
| New York | $72,000 | $6,000 | $16.50 | Northeast |
| California | $70,800 | $5,900 | $16.50 | West |
| Connecticut | $70,200 | $5,850 | $16.35 | Northeast |
| New Jersey | $69,400 | $5,783 | $15.49 | Northeast |
| Maryland | $67,500 | $5,625 | $15.00 | South |
| Colorado | $66,800 | $5,567 | $14.81 | West |
| Virginia | $65,200 | $5,433 | $12.41 | South |
| Minnesota | $64,100 | $5,342 | $11.13 | Midwest |
| Oregon | $63,800 | $5,317 | $14.70 | West |
| Illinois | $63,500 | $5,292 | $15.00 | Midwest |
| Rhode Island | $63,200 | $5,267 | $15.00 | Northeast |
| Alaska | $62,800 | $5,233 | $11.91 | West |
Average salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Minimum wage from DOL and state labor departments as of January 2026. States shown in amber follow the federal minimum of $7.25/hr.
US vs Global Salary Benchmarks
The same professional roles cost a fraction of US rates in Southeast Asia and South Asia. Monthly gross salary comparison for mid-level professionals.
| Role | United States | Philippines | Indonesia | Vietnam | India |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer (Mid) | $7,000-12,000 | $1,000-2,500 | $900-2,200 | $1,200-3,500 | $800-2,500 |
| Customer Support | $3,000-4,500 | $350-650 | $300-600 | $350-700 | $250-500 |
| Executive Assistant | $4,000-6,500 | $500-1,000 | $450-900 | $500-1,000 | $350-700 |
| Bookkeeper | $4,000-6,500 | $500-1,000 | $400-900 | $400-900 | $350-700 |
| Digital Marketing Mgr | $5,000-8,500 | $700-1,500 | $600-1,300 | $700-1,500 | $500-1,200 |
| Graphic Designer | $4,000-6,500 | $600-1,200 | $500-1,000 | $500-1,100 | $400-900 |
All figures are monthly gross salary in USD for mid-level professionals (2-5 years experience). US figures are before employer costs (add 25-40%). International figures are before local statutory contributions (add 10-25% depending on country).
Where to Hire: Regional Cost Differences
US salaries vary 30-60% between coastal tech hubs and lower-cost states. Remote hiring has made location arbitrage more accessible.
Global tech capital. Home to FAANG, venture-backed startups, and the world's deepest senior engineering talent pool. Highest salaries and highest cost of living in the US.
Strongest for finance, media, adtech, and enterprise SaaS. Large and diverse talent pool across all professional roles. Second-highest cost market after SF.
Amazon, Microsoft, and a deep cloud/DevOps ecosystem. Strong for backend engineering, cloud architecture, and data. Lower cost than SF with comparable tech talent.
Fastest-growing tech hub. Tesla, Oracle, and many startups have relocated here. No state income tax makes it attractive for talent. 15-25% cheaper than coastal hubs.
Remote hiring in lower-cost states (Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, etc.) offers 15-30% savings vs coastal markets. Growing talent pools as remote work enables distributed hiring.
US Hiring Landscape
The US labor market remains tight heading into 2026, with wage growth running at approximately 3.9% year-over-year. This is most pronounced in technology, healthcare, and skilled trades, where demand for specialized talent continues to outpace supply. The average annual salary of $66,600 masks significant variation: tech hubs like San Francisco, Seattle, and New York pay 30-50% above the national average, while southern and midwestern states offer salaries 15-25% below it.
Employer costs in the US are among the highest in the world. Beyond the 7.65% FICA tax that applies to every dollar of payroll, US employers face health insurance obligations that can add $7,000-20,000 per employee per year. This is a cost that simply does not exist in most other countries, where healthcare is funded through public systems. When you combine payroll taxes, insurance, workers' compensation, and standard benefits, the true cost of a US employee is 25-40% above their gross salary.
This cost reality is driving a growing trend of international hiring. For roles that do not require physical presence in the US, companies are discovering that the same talent is available in the Philippines at 70-85% lower cost, or in India and Vietnam at 75-90% lower cost. The gap is widest for customer support, virtual assistant, and back-office roles, where English-proficient talent in the Philippines can perform the same work at a fraction of the US price.
Compare US Costs to Other Markets
Common Questions About US Salaries
Salary benchmarks, employer costs, and how the US compares globally.
The average annual salary is approximately $63,200-66,600, depending on the data source. The BLS reports median weekly earnings of $1,192 for full-time workers, which translates to roughly $62,000 per year. Average and median figures differ because high earners pull the average up. Monthly, the typical US worker earns around $5,200-5,550.
Washington, DC leads overall with an average annual salary of approximately $82,000, though it is technically a district rather than a state. Among states, Massachusetts ranks highest at approximately $76,600, followed by Washington ($72,300), New York ($72,000), and California ($70,800). However, cost of living matters significantly — a $76,600 salary in Boston may provide a similar lifestyle to $55,000 in a lower-cost state.
The federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour, unchanged since July 2009. This is the longest period without a federal increase in the law's history. However, 30+ states have set their own higher minimums, with Washington state at $17.13/hr and DC at $17.50/hr being the highest. Twenty states still follow the federal $7.25 rate.
US employers typically pay 25-40% on top of gross salary when you include all mandatory and standard costs. This includes FICA taxes (7.65%), unemployment taxes (1-3%), workers' compensation (0.5-3%), and health insurance ($7,000-20,000/year depending on coverage). For a $60,000 salary, the true employer cost is roughly $75,000-84,000 per year.
For professional roles commonly hired internationally, US salaries are 3-10x higher than equivalent positions in Southeast Asia or South Asia. A mid-level software developer costs $7,000-12,000/month in the US versus $1,000-2,500 in the Philippines or $900-2,200 in Indonesia. This cost difference drives the growing trend of international hiring through Employer of Record services.
It depends heavily on location. A $70,000-90,000 salary provides a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in most of the country, but may feel tight in high-cost cities like San Francisco, New York, or Boston where housing alone can exceed $3,000/month. In lower-cost states like Mississippi, Arkansas, or Kentucky, $50,000-60,000 can provide a similar quality of life.
Yes, substantially. US employer costs are among the highest globally, primarily because of employer-sponsored health insurance (which most other countries handle through public systems) and higher base salaries. A US employer paying $60,000/year in salary plus $20,000 in benefits and taxes is spending $80,000 per employee. The same role in the Philippines costs $6,000-15,000 per year all-in.
Technology, healthcare, finance, and aerospace consistently offer the highest salaries. Software engineers, data scientists, physicians, and financial managers regularly earn above $120,000 annually. Retail, food service, hospitality, and agriculture pay the least, with many positions near or at minimum wage.
