A new study by prop trading firm FundedFast has revealed which states have the longest working hours and lowest wages in 2026, with Mississippi leading the ranking.
The research examined data from the US Bureau of Labour Statistics to identify states where employees work the most hours while earning the lowest hourly pay. Massachusetts was identified as the state where employees earn the highest hourly wage while working fewer hours than the average American.
Employees in Mississippi work an average of 35.3 hours a week, compared with 34.05 hours for the average American employee. This means workers in the state put in around 65 extra hours a year, equivalent to just over eight additional eight-hour working days.
Employees in Mississippi earn an average annual salary of $51,543, more than 16% below the national average of $61,425. Their average hourly wage is $28.08, compared with the national average of $34.70.
Arkansas is the second state where workers put in longer hours while earning relatively low wages. Employees take home an average hourly pay of $29.78, more than 14% below the US average. They work an average of 34.8 hours a week, around 39 hours more than the average American each year, equivalent to almost an extra five-day working week.
Louisiana ranks 3rd, with employees earning an average of $29.80 per hour, more than 14% below the US average. Workers put in some of the longest hours in America, averaging 36 hours a week. This amounts to 101.4 more hours a year than the average American, or almost 13 additional eight-hour working days.
West Virginia ranks 4th, with workers earning an average hourly wage of $30.01, almost 14% below the average US worker. Employees work an average of 35 hours a week, equivalent to just over six additional eight-hour working days each year compared with the average American.
The top 10 hardest working but lowest paid states
| Rank | State | Average Hourly Earnings ($) | Percentage More Hours Worked than US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 28.08 | 3.67% |
| 2 | Arkansas | 29.78 | 2.20% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 29.80 | 5.73% |
| 4 | West Virginia | 30.01 | 2.79% |
| 5 | Kentucky | 30.20 | 2.50% |
| 6 | Iowa | 30.55 | 0.15% |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 30.97 | 3.67% |
| 8 | Tennessee | 31.07 | 1.62% |
| 9 | Alabama | 31.44 | 3.96% |
| 10 | Wyoming | 32.05 | 3.08% |
Kentucky ranks 5th, with workers earning an average hourly pay of $30.20, almost 13% below the average US worker. They work an average of 34.9 hours a week, equivalent to around five and a half additional eight-hour working days each year compared with the average American.
Iowa ranks 6th, with employees earning an average of $30.55 per hour, almost 12% below the average American. They work an average of 34.1 hours a week, around 2.6 hours more each year than the average American.
Oklahoma ranks 7th, with workers earning an average hourly pay of $30.97, almost 11% below the average American. Employees there work an average of 35.3 hours a week, around 65 hours more each year than the average American. This is equivalent to just over eight additional eight-hour working days.
Tennessee ranks 8th, with employees earning an average of $31.07 per hour, almost 10.5% below the US average. The state’s workforce averages 34.6 hours a week, around 29 more hours a year than the average American. That is equivalent to roughly three and a half additional eight-hour working days.
Alabama ranks 9th, with employees earning an average hourly pay of $31.44, more than 9% below the average American. Workers there average 35.4 hours a week, around 70 more hours a year than the average American, equivalent to almost nine additional eight-hour working days.
Wyoming rounds out the top 10, with employees earning an average hourly pay of $32.05, almost 8% below the average American. Workers there average 35.1 hours a week, around 55 more hours a year than the average American, equivalent to almost seven additional working days.
Other hard-working but low-paid states include Nevada and Pennsylvania.
The study also identifies the states where employees work fewer hours than the average American while earning the highest wages, with Massachusetts leading the ranking.
Workers in Massachusetts earn an average hourly pay of $42.32, almost 22% above the national average of $34.70. The state’s workforce averages 33.3 hours a week, around 39 fewer hours a year than the average American, equivalent to almost five fewer working days.
California workers earn an average of $41.32 per hour, more than 19% above the national average, despite working fewer hours. Employees there average 33.2 hours a week, around 44 fewer hours a year than the average US worker, equivalent to almost five and a half fewer eight-hour working days.
Workers in Colorado earn an average of $39.48 per hour, almost 14% above the average American. The state’s workforce averages 33.3 hours a week, equivalent to almost five fewer working days a year than the average American.
The top 10 states with the highest hourly pay and fewer hours worked
| Rank | State | Average Hourly Earnings ($) | Percentage Fewer Hours Worked than US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 42.32 | 2.20% |
| 2 | California | 41.32 | 2.50% |
| 3 | Colorado | 39.48 | 2.20% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 39.26 | 3.67% |
| 5 | Connecticut | 39.19 | 1.32% |
| 6 | New York | 39.03 | 3.67% |
| 7 | New Jersey | 38.10 | 1.32% |
| 8 | Hawaii | 37.83 | 2.79% |
| 9 | Oregon | 37.23 | 1.91% |
| 10 | Virginia | 36.62 | 0.15% |
Overall, Washington workers earn the highest hourly pay in America, with an average of $42.49 per hour. Employees in the state work an average of 34.7 hours a week, almost 34 more hours a year than the average American, but fewer hours than workers in Mississippi, who average 35.3 hours a week.
Andrea Faleburle, Founder and CEO of FundedFast, commented: “Ultimately, this study presents a worrying reality in that the states that are working some of the longest hours in America are actually the ones taking home the lowest salaries.”
“The data suggests that the average American works for around 34.05 hours per week, which highlights just how many more hours some of the lowest paid states are clocking in each week.”
“The study also presents a clear regional divide. Out of the top 10 lowest paid but hardest working states, eight are located in the South.”
“Meanwhile, several of the states where workers put in fewer hours but earn the highest hourly wages are located in the Northeast and West, including Massachusetts, California, and Colorado.”
“This highlights how different regions are being impacted by America’s ongoing cost of living crisis, with multiple states in the South working longer hours while still taking home some of the lowest hourly salaries in America.”
This information was provided by prop trading firm FundedFast.