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: Painters, construction and maintenance

Click on state name to filter.
State Jobs Average
Salary		 Rank
Hawaii 1,900 $46,710 1
Illinois 10,270 $45,360 2
New York 12,790 $43,250 3
Alaska 520 $43,160 4
District of Columbia 520 $42,330 5
Massachusetts 4,420 $41,710 6
Nevada 4,640 $39,860 7
Michigan 5,390 $39,840 8
Minnesota 4,150 $39,600 9
New Jersey 5,310 $39,120 10
Connecticut 2,380 $38,930 11
Pennsylvania 6,500 $37,970 12
Missouri 6,110 $37,950 13
California 42,270 $37,510 14
Delaware 670 $35,670 15
Washington 8,260 $35,660 16
Maryland 5,980 $35,360 17
Wisconsin 3,860 $35,260 18
Colorado 5,220 $34,060 19
Ohio 7,760 $34,030 20
Indiana 4,920 $33,550 21
Iowa 1,920 $32,750 22
West Virginia 820 $32,550 23
Rhode Island 940 $32,130 24
Oregon 4,210 $32,080 25
Maine 1,720 $31,850 26
Virginia 9,070 $31,630 27
Kansas 2,530 $31,090 28
Vermont 780 $31,030 29
New Hampshire 1,060 $30,680 30
Utah 2,880 $30,580 31
Georgia 5,560 $30,340 32
Montana 900 $29,990 33
Louisiana 5,330 $29,660 34
Virgin Islands 110 $29,210
Arizona 8,800 $29,200 35
Oklahoma 2,490 $29,120 36
Kentucky 2,250 $29,100 37.5
New Mexico 1,520 $29,100 37.5
Wyoming 460 $29,020 39
South Carolina 3,550 $28,970 40
Tennessee 4,060 $28,780 41
Florida 24,350 $28,720 42
North Dakota 430 $28,570 43
Nebraska 1,700 $28,510 44
Mississippi 1,590 $28,090 45
North Carolina 6,820 $27,370 46
Texas 16,360 $26,950 47
Alabama 4,020 $26,610 48
Arkansas 1,260 $26,500 49
South Dakota 560 $25,890 50
Guam 340 $25,890
Idaho 1,600 $25,770 51
Puerto Rico 1,100 $15,330