Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified the current details of journeyman salary by state for the United States in 2026:
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Washington continues to have the highest journeyman salary at $80,397
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North Carolina has the lowest journeyman salary at $43,770
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The national average salary for journeymen is $57,682
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The national hourly pay for journeymen is $27.73
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In today’s competitive job market, understanding salary expectations is crucial for job seekers. A survey from recent years shows that salary remains the top priority for most individuals when evaluating job opportunities, especially for journeymen.
While individual salaries may vary based on location and experience, there is robust data available on average salaries for journeymen by state, adjusted for seniority levels. This information provides a realistic expectation for what you might earn in your area.
As of 2026, Washington remains the state with the most lucrative salary for journeymen.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for journeyman salaries:
Let’s examine how we arrived at these salary figures and provide a complete ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Journeymen By State
| Rank | State | Average Journeyman Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $80,397 | $55,000 | $117,000 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $79,820 | $67,000 | $94,000 |
| 3 | Nevada | $77,865 | $52,000 | $116,000 |
| 4 | California | $77,312 | $52,000 | $114,000 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $72,565 | $47,000 | $110,000 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $72,239 | $47,000 | $109,000 |
| 7 | Maine | $71,893 | $48,000 | $106,000 |
| 8 | New York | $71,532 | $46,000 | $109,000 |
| 9 | Delaware | $71,268 | $46,000 | $109,000 |
| 10 | Oregon | $71,267 | $48,000 | $104,000 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $70,985 | $47,000 | $106,000 |
| 12 | Montana | $65,734 | $45,000 | $95,000 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $65,391 | $43,000 | $99,000 |
| 14 | Vermont | $64,071 | $43,000 | $94,000 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $62,819 | $40,000 | $96,000 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $62,481 | $43,000 | $89,000 |
| 17 | Indiana | $62,245 | $41,000 | $92,000 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $61,763 | $43,000 | $87,000 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $61,049 | $42,000 | $88,000 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $60,408 | $41,000 | $86,000 |
| 21 | Colorado | $59,897 | $41,000 | $87,000 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $59,879 | $40,000 | $87,000 |
| 23 | Arizona | $59,332 | $40,000 | $87,000 |
| 24 | Maryland | $58,993 | $38,000 | $90,000 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $58,797 | $38,000 | $89,000 |
| 26 | Alaska | $58,599 | $49,000 | $69,000 |
| 27 | Missouri | $57,920 | $39,000 | $85,000 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $57,450 | $37,000 | $88,000 |
| 29 | Utah | $57,155 | $38,000 | $84,000 |
| 30 | Michigan | $55,939 | $37,000 | $83,000 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $55,924 | $36,000 | $85,000 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $55,861 | $37,000 | $83,000 |
| 33 | Ohio | $55,328 | $36,000 | $82,000 |
| 34 | Illinois | $55,097 | $37,000 | $81,000 |
| 35 | Kansas | $53,381 | $36,000 | $78,000 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $53,334 | $36,000 | $78,000 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $52,690 | $36,000 | $76,000 |
| 38 | New Jersey | $52,293 | $34,000 | $80,000 |
| 39 | Idaho | $51,844 | $35,000 | $76,000 |
| 40 | Georgia | $51,827 | $33,000 | $79,000 |
| 41 | Texas | $51,161 | $33,000 | $78,000 |
| 42 | Alabama | $51,012 | $33,000 | $77,000 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $50,981 | $34,000 | $75,000 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $48,884 | $32,000 | $74,000 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $48,775 | $32,000 | $72,000 |
| 46 | Iowa | $48,516 | $33,000 | $70,000 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $47,732 | $31,000 | $71,000 |
| 48 | Virginia | $45,752 | $29,000 | $70,000 |
| 49 | Florida | $44,207 | $28,000 | $68,000 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $43,770 | $28,000 | $67,000 |
Methodology: Journeyman Salary By State
To better understand journeyman pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data from various sources including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We also incorporate salary data from recent job postings. Our data science team then calculates a weighted average of these inputs to provide an accurate average pay for journeymen by state.
We took the average annual salary data for journeymen from these estimates and ranked every state based on this criteria, with the highest salary ranking as the top average salary for journeymen.
Journeyman Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for journeymen?
The highest-paid state for journeymen is Washington with an average salary of $80,397 per year.
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What city pays journeymen the most?
San Francisco, CA pays journeymen the most with an average salary of $84,309 per year.
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What is the worst state for journeymen?
The worst state for journeymen is North Carolina with an average salary of $43,770 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
