Here's a different take on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment and Wage estimates page. I've downloaded all the data and ranked states (for every occupation with at least 100 workers).

You can use the drop-down menus to filter by state or by occupation.

Occupation Selected: Cooks, institution and cafeteria

Click on state name to filter.
State Jobs Average
Salary		 Rank
Alaska 1,210 $33,470 1
Rhode Island 1,100 $29,540 2
Hawaii 1,210 $28,880 3
Connecticut 4,530 $28,680 4
Massachusetts 6,200 $28,410 5
District of Columbia 1,360 $27,970 6
New York 14,280 $27,120 7
New Jersey 6,300 $26,870 8
Washington 5,450 $26,490 9
California 21,660 $26,330 10
New Hampshire 1,490 $25,830 11
Delaware 550 $25,730 12
Nevada 1,380 $25,660 13
Minnesota 6,470 $25,460 14
Maryland 4,050 $25,070 15
Michigan 9,990 $23,520 16
Vermont 1,280 $23,500 17
Ohio 26,650 $23,450 18
Arizona 5,060 $22,930 19
Oregon 4,560 $22,850 20
Wisconsin 7,520 $22,670 21
Colorado 4,810 $22,660 22
Maine 1,850 $22,540 23
Virginia 7,510 $22,400 24
Florida 14,120 $22,360 25
Pennsylvania 18,760 $21,980 26
Illinois 15,920 $21,450 27
North Dakota 1,090 $21,020 28
Utah 3,900 $20,990 29
Virgin Islands 200 $20,410
Iowa 7,770 $20,370 30
Indiana 9,980 $20,150 31
South Dakota 2,260 $20,000 32
Wyoming 1,080 $19,930 33
Kentucky 9,930 $19,710 34
Idaho 1,660 $19,660 35
Nebraska 3,690 $19,410 36
North Carolina 7,950 $19,380 37
Montana 2,580 $18,970 38
Missouri 12,030 $18,840 39
Kansas 6,730 $18,820 40
New Mexico 3,830 $18,660 41
West Virginia 3,950 $18,340 42
Texas 25,370 $18,100 43
Tennessee 12,370 $17,670 44
South Carolina 6,750 $17,660 45
Georgia 14,900 $16,980 46
Oklahoma 7,350 $16,580 47
Puerto Rico 4,860 $16,540
Mississippi 6,750 $16,460 48
Alabama 9,150 $15,880 49
Arkansas 7,330 $15,760 50
Louisiana 11,520 $15,550 51