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: Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

Click on state name to filter.
State Jobs Average
Salary		 Rank
West Virginia 210 $38,720 1
Indiana 2,300 $37,430 2
Massachusetts 1,810 $32,490 3
Iowa 740 $31,770 4
Pennsylvania 2,810 $31,600 5
Oklahoma 550 $31,340 6
Minnesota 1,370 $31,280 7
Utah 340 $30,670 8
Oregon 560 $30,650 9
Missouri 1,000 $30,440 10
Alabama 590 $30,420 11
Washington 500 $30,330 12
Ohio 2,710 $29,860 13
Mississippi 110 $29,770 14
Kentucky 700 $29,740 15
New Hampshire 290 $29,630 16
Arkansas 430 $29,460 17
Illinois 2,670 $29,400 18
Georgia 330 $28,940 19
Rhode Island 460 $28,900 20
Nebraska 370 $28,870 21
Michigan 2,120 $28,830 22
New York 1,480 $28,800 23
Tennessee 600 $28,770 24
Wisconsin 1,200 $28,610 25
Maryland 170 $28,500 26
Virginia 350 $28,300 27
Connecticut 1,240 $28,280 28
North Carolina 1,430 $28,230 29
New Jersey 650 $27,910 30
Kansas 380 $27,730 31
South Carolina 780 $27,540 32
Louisiana 100 $27,350 33
Colorado 370 $27,160 34
Florida 490 $26,990 35
Texas 3,060 $26,300 36
California 5,400 $25,270 37
Arizona 340 $25,180 38