IT Salaries by State: Security, Support, and Network Pay in 2026
Last updated October 2026
IT salaries by state vary by nearly two to one. Information security analysts earn the most, with state medians from $81,950 in Montana to $154,940 in Washington. Computer user support specialists, the help desk role, range from $46,360 in Arkansas to $80,950 in the District of Columbia, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 data.
What do IT jobs pay in each state?
The matrix shows the May 2025 median annual wage for four IT occupations in every state. Darker cells are higher relative to other states for the same role, so color compares states within a column, not roles against each other.
| State | Security | Sysadmin | Network support | Help desk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $122k | $81k | $61k | $49k |
| Alaska | $114k | $97k | $86k | $63k |
| Arizona | $125k | $90k | $68k | $61k |
| Arkansas | $103k | $81k | $59k | $46k |
| California | $138k | $106k | $79k | $79k |
| Colorado | $135k | $103k | $82k | $71k |
| Connecticut | $130k | $105k | $81k | $70k |
| Delaware | $137k | $94k | $60k | $62k |
| District of Columbia | $135k | $110k | $91k | $80k |
| Florida | $124k | $95k | $75k | $58k |
| Georgia | $128k | $97k | $79k | $60k |
| Hawaii | $126k | $101k | $83k | $56k |
| Idaho | Not published | $91k | $63k | $59k |
| Illinois | $124k | $100k | $68k | $59k |
| Indiana | $101k | $84k | $73k | $56k |
| Iowa | $119k | $84k | $64k | $58k |
| Kansas | $100k | $83k | $60k | $56k |
| Kentucky | $103k | $87k | Not published | $57k |
| Louisiana | $92k | $90k | $58k | $52k |
| Maine | $101k | $83k | $72k | $60k |
| Maryland | $139k | $118k | $96k | $64k |
| Massachusetts | $136k | $110k | $88k | $75k |
| Michigan | $106k | $92k | $65k | $56k |
| Minnesota | $130k | $101k | $76k | $63k |
| Mississippi | $87k | $79k | $63k | $52k |
| Missouri | $103k | $80k | $72k | $59k |
| Montana | $81k | $80k | $61k | $58k |
| Nebraska | $92k | $84k | $65k | $60k |
| Nevada | $106k | $103k | $85k | $57k |
| New Hampshire | $124k | $100k | $72k | $60k |
| New Jersey | $134k | $116k | $87k | $64k |
| New Mexico | $130k | $90k | $64k | $53k |
| New York | $134k | $105k | $77k | $72k |
| North Carolina | $131k | $95k | Not published | $60k |
| North Dakota | $107k | $86k | $73k | $61k |
| Ohio | $110k | $97k | $70k | $59k |
| Oklahoma | $94k | $83k | $78k | $52k |
| Oregon | Not published | $102k | $68k | $62k |
| Pennsylvania | $117k | $86k | $78k | $58k |
| Rhode Island | $109k | $103k | $82k | $62k |
| South Carolina | $105k | $92k | $76k | $52k |
| South Dakota | $116k | $75k | $53k | $48k |
| Tennessee | $115k | $88k | $77k | $55k |
| Texas | $129k | $101k | $66k | $59k |
| Utah | $99k | $95k | Not published | $61k |
| Vermont | $109k | $86k | $72k | $63k |
| Virginia | $134k | $109k | $76k | $65k |
| Washington | $154k | $103k | $101k | $75k |
| West Virginia | Not published | $74k | $46k | $55k |
| Wisconsin | $101k | $83k | $81k | $58k |
| Wyoming | $98k | $75k | $61k | $65k |
Median annual wage, all industries. “Not published” means BLS withheld the estimate.
Highest and lowest paying states by role
| Role | Highest median | Lowest median | Median of states | Typical change since May 2024 | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information security analysts | Washington ($154,940) | Montana ($81,950) | $117,205 | +2.7% | 36 up / 11 down |
| Network and computer systems administrators | Maryland ($118,290) | West Virginia ($74,490) | $92,750 | +3.2% | 39 up / 12 down |
| Computer network support specialists | Washington ($101,750) | West Virginia ($46,840) | $73,045 | +3.5% | 33 up / 14 down |
| Computer user support specialists | District of Columbia ($80,950) | Arkansas ($46,360) | $59,860 | +3.2% | 42 up / 9 down |
Did IT pay rise in 2025?
In most states, yes. Comparing May 2025 with May 2024 state medians, the typical state saw security analyst pay change +2.7%, sysadmin pay +3.2%, network support +3.5%, and help desk +3.2%. Help desk pay rose in 42 states and fell in 9. Single-year state medians move with sample changes, so a decline in one state is not by itself evidence of falling pay there.
How wide is the security premium?
In every state with both estimates, security analysts out-earn help desk staff by a wide margin. The ratio of the two medians ranges from 1.40 in Montana to 2.47 in Alabama. For a managed service provider, that premium is the cost of moving a client from help desk support to managed security, and it varies by market.
Frequently asked questions
Which state pays the most for cybersecurity analysts?
Washington, with a median of $154,940 for information security analysts in May 2025 (BLS).
Which state pays the most for IT support?
the District of Columbia, with a median of $80,950 for computer user support specialists in May 2025 (BLS).
Did IT salaries go up in 2025?
Mostly yes. Across states, the median change in median pay from May 2024 to May 2025 was +2.7% for security analysts and +3.2% for help desk roles.
How much more do security analysts earn than help desk staff?
Between 1.4 and 2.5 times as much, depending on the state; the widest gap is in Alabama.
Why are some states missing values?
BLS does not publish estimates that fail its reliability or confidentiality standards; those cells are marked not published.
Where does this data come from?
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 state estimates, released in 2026.
Methodology
Source. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates for May 2025 and May 2024, downloaded October 2026 (files state_M2025_dl and state_M2024_dl).
Occupations. SOC 15-1212 information security analysts, 15-1244 network and computer systems administrators, 15-1231 computer network support specialists, 15-1232 computer user support specialists. All industries, all ownerships.
Derived metrics. “Median of states” is the median of the 50 state and DC medians, not a national median. Year-over-year change compares each state’s May 2025 and May 2024 medians. The security-to-help-desk ratio divides the two state medians.
Limitations. OEWS medians are survey estimates with sampling error. BLS suppresses some state estimates (15-1212: Idaho, Oregon, 15-1244: none, 15-1231: Kentucky, North Carolina, Utah, 15-1232: none). Territories are excluded from rankings but included in the download. Wages are not adjusted for cost of living.
Not advice. This is published wage data, not salary or career advice.
Cite as:The Uptime Report. "IT Salaries by State: Security, Support, and Network Pay in 2026." October 2026. https://theuptimereport.com/it-salaries-by-state-2026/
References
- BLS, OEWS tables and downloadable data. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, OEWS national estimates and methodology. Accessed October 2026.
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