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: Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators

Click on state name to filter.
State Jobs Average
Salary		 Rank
California 2,800 $51,580 1
Illinois 1,590 $51,560 2
Massachusetts 970 $49,530 3
Washington 1,130 $48,200 4
Missouri 2,100 $47,680 5
Connecticut 480 $45,650 6
North Dakota 280 $44,240 7
Minnesota 1,140 $44,020 8
New Jersey 1,280 $43,650 9
Rhode Island 170 $42,550 10
Michigan 2,290 $41,330 11
New York 1,270 $40,620 12
Wyoming 2,250 $40,220 13
New Mexico 360 $39,800 14
West Virginia 790 $38,160 15
Wisconsin 820 $38,080 16
Maryland 1,110 $37,920 17
Indiana 1,230 $37,900 18
Colorado 1,790 $37,750 19
Arizona 1,580 $37,020 20
New Hampshire 630 $36,500 21
Nevada 720 $36,410 22
Ohio 2,350 $36,100 23
Idaho 690 $36,010 24
Delaware 180 $35,660 25
Oregon 2,380 $35,420 26
Utah 810 $35,240 27
Montana 350 $34,910 28
Kentucky 1,690 $33,430 29
Kansas 460 $32,710 30
Virginia 2,770 $32,480 31
Vermont 330 $32,250 32
Maine 500 $32,090 33
Georgia 1,310 $31,400 34
South Dakota 400 $31,390 35
Nebraska 630 $31,150 36
Pennsylvania 2,970 $31,000 37
Iowa 1,370 $30,680 38
South Carolina 950 $30,500 39
Oklahoma 1,390 $30,440 40
North Carolina 1,940 $29,510 41
Florida 4,490 $29,500 42
Texas 5,710 $28,390 43
Tennessee 1,260 $28,300 44
Alabama 1,740 $28,250 45
Arkansas 1,260 $27,440 46
Louisiana 1,680 $27,380 47
Mississippi 890 $25,690 48
Puerto Rico 680 $18,010