Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified the following details regarding senior associate salaries by state across the United States for 2026:
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New Jersey boasts the highest senior associate salary at $100,575.
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Alaska has the lowest senior associate salary at $27,958.
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The national average salary for senior associates is $83,034.
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The national hourly wage for senior associates is $39.92.
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In surveys conducted across diverse demographics, the most critical aspect of a job consistently remains salary—specifically, how much do senior associates earn where I live?
While numerous factors influence individual salary expectations, robust data is available for average senior associate salaries by state, segmented by seniority level. Although your specific city may differ from the state average, these figures provide a useful benchmark for salary expectations.
As of 2026, New Jersey ranks as the state with the highest senior associate salary.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for senior associate salaries:
Let’s delve into how these averages were determined, along with a complete ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Senior Associates By State
| Rank | State | Average Senior Associate Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $100,575 | $70,000 | $143,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $95,548 | $63,000 | $143,000 |
| 3 | New York | $94,561 | $66,000 | $135,000 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $91,750 | $63,000 | $132,000 |
| 5 | California | $89,603 | $61,000 | $129,000 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $89,387 | $62,000 | $128,000 |
| 7 | Illinois | $89,044 | $62,000 | $127,000 |
| 8 | Virginia | $88,776 | $62,000 | $126,000 |
| 9 | Delaware | $88,751 | $62,000 | $126,000 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $88,255 | $61,000 | $126,000 |
| 11 | Maine | $87,949 | $61,000 | $126,000 |
| 12 | Maryland | $87,471 | $61,000 | $124,000 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $86,959 | $60,000 | $125,000 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $83,062 | $58,000 | $118,000 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $83,052 | $57,000 | $119,000 |
| 16 | Michigan | $78,254 | $54,000 | $112,000 |
| 17 | Colorado | $78,051 | $54,000 | $110,000 |
| 18 | Texas | $77,664 | $54,000 | $110,000 |
| 19 | Oregon | $77,594 | $52,000 | $115,000 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $77,572 | $54,000 | $111,000 |
| 21 | Georgia | $76,616 | $53,000 | $109,000 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $76,210 | $53,000 | $108,000 |
| 23 | Vermont | $75,889 | $52,000 | $109,000 |
| 24 | Missouri | $75,520 | $53,000 | $106,000 |
| 25 | Ohio | $75,324 | $52,000 | $107,000 |
| 26 | Montana | $74,669 | $51,000 | $108,000 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $73,757 | $51,000 | $104,000 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $73,167 | $50,000 | $105,000 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $73,030 | $50,000 | $105,000 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $72,409 | $50,000 | $103,000 |
| 31 | Alabama | $72,160 | $50,000 | $102,000 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $69,993 | $49,000 | $99,000 |
| 33 | Nevada | $69,831 | $47,000 | $101,000 |
| 34 | Arizona | $69,819 | $49,000 | $99,000 |
| 35 | Indiana | $69,661 | $48,000 | $99,000 |
| 36 | Iowa | $69,589 | $48,000 | $99,000 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $69,056 | $48,000 | $98,000 |
| 38 | Kansas | $68,696 | $48,000 | $96,000 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $68,307 | $48,000 | $97,000 |
| 40 | Utah | $68,163 | $46,000 | $99,000 |
| 41 | Florida | $67,864 | $45,000 | $100,000 |
| 42 | Idaho | $66,648 | $44,000 | $98,000 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $65,754 | $45,000 | $94,000 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $64,937 | $45,000 | $92,000 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $60,621 | $43,000 | $85,000 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $59,558 | $41,000 | $84,000 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $59,102 | $41,000 | $85,000 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $56,086 | $39,000 | $79,000 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $47,722 | $39,000 | $58,000 |
| 50 | Alaska | $27,958 | $19,000 | $40,000 |
Methodology: Senior Associate Salary By State
To better understand senior associate pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data from various channels, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We supplemented this data with actual listed salaries from job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average of these inputs to establish the average pay for senior associates by state.
We ranked every state based on these average annual salary estimates, with the state offering the highest salary positioned at the top.
Senior Associate Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for senior associates?
The highest-paid state for senior associates is New Jersey, with an average salary of $100,575 per year.
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What city pays senior associates the most?
Jersey City, NJ pays senior associates the most, with an average salary of $100,801 per year.
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What is the lowest-paying state for senior associates?
The lowest-paying state for senior associates is Alaska, with an average salary of $27,958 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
