Manager Salary By State: Highest-Paid Managers by State [2026]
Research Summary. In-depth analysis conducted by the Zippia data science team reveals the following insights into manager salaries across the United States:
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New Jersey offers the highest manager salary at $98,845.
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Arkansas has the lowest manager salary at $42,727.
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The national average salary for managers stands at $58,651.
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The national hourly wage for managers is $28.20.
You can learn more about the specific methodology used in this research.
Background
In today’s job market, salary remains the top priority for most individuals when evaluating job opportunities. Many are curious: how much do managers earn in my area?
While your specific salary can vary based on many factors, comprehensive data on average manager salaries by state provides a useful benchmark. These averages, categorized by seniority level, give you a clear understanding of what to expect in terms of compensation.
As it stands, New Jersey leads as the state with the best salary for managers.
Here’s a quick look at the top ten states for manager salaries:
Let’s delve into the detailed rankings of all states.
Highest-Paid Managers By State
| Rank | State | Average Manager Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $98,845 | $61,000 | $159,000 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $94,909 | $59,000 | $151,000 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $94,282 | $62,000 | $141,000 |
| 4 | New York | $93,313 | $58,000 | $149,000 |
| 5 | California | $90,017 | $52,000 | $154,000 |
| 6 | Washington | $84,552 | $49,000 | $143,000 |
| 7 | Oregon | $75,747 | $44,000 | $128,000 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $75,622 | $46,000 | $122,000 |
| 9 | Delaware | $75,107 | $46,000 | $121,000 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $74,160 | $46,000 | $117,000 |
| 11 | Maryland | $73,499 | $45,000 | $118,000 |
| 12 | Virginia | $72,711 | $44,000 | $117,000 |
| 13 | Colorado | $70,708 | $43,000 | $113,000 |
| 14 | Alaska | $69,121 | $42,000 | $113,000 |
| 15 | Nevada | $69,010 | $40,000 | $118,000 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $68,328 | $42,000 | $108,000 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $65,638 | $41,000 | $103,000 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $64,293 | $40,000 | $103,000 |
| 19 | Illinois | $62,615 | $39,000 | $99,000 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $61,330 | $38,000 | $96,000 |
| 21 | Michigan | $60,798 | $37,000 | $97,000 |
| 22 | Maine | $60,756 | $38,000 | $94,000 |
| 23 | Ohio | $60,506 | $37,000 | $97,000 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $60,393 | $37,000 | $96,000 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $59,920 | $37,000 | $96,000 |
| 26 | Arizona | $59,714 | $36,000 | $98,000 |
| 27 | Texas | $59,003 | $36,000 | $95,000 |
| 28 | Montana | $58,878 | $36,000 | $95,000 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $58,210 | $35,000 | $95,000 |
| 30 | Indiana | $57,538 | $35,000 | $91,000 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $57,295 | $35,000 | $91,000 |
| 32 | Idaho | $56,987 | $33,000 | $96,000 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $56,055 | $34,000 | $89,000 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $55,614 | $35,000 | $88,000 |
| 35 | Utah | $55,354 | $33,000 | $91,000 |
| 36 | Alabama | $54,506 | $34,000 | $86,000 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $54,046 | $34,000 | $85,000 |
| 38 | Vermont | $53,786 | $34,000 | $84,000 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $52,989 | $32,000 | $85,000 |
| 40 | Georgia | $51,702 | $32,000 | $82,000 |
| 41 | Kansas | $50,972 | $31,000 | $81,000 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $50,854 | $31,000 | $81,000 |
| 43 | Iowa | $50,738 | $32,000 | $80,000 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $50,649 | $31,000 | $81,000 |
| 45 | Florida | $50,119 | $31,000 | $80,000 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $48,369 | $30,000 | $77,000 |
| 47 | Missouri | $47,992 | $30,000 | $76,000 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $45,691 | $28,000 | $72,000 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $44,150 | $27,000 | $70,000 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $42,727 | $26,000 | $68,000 |
Methodology: Manager Salary By State
To gain insights into manager pay by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Federal Labor Commission (FLC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This data is supplemented with actual salaries from job postings. Our data science team then calculates a weighted average of these inputs to derive the average pay for managers by state.
We ranked each state based on the average annual salary data for managers, identifying the state with the highest salary as having the most lucrative average for managers.
Manager Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for managers?
The highest-paid state for managers is New Jersey, with an average salary of $98,845 per year.
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What city pays managers the most?
Currently, specific city data is not available, but metropolitan areas typically pay higher than rural regions.
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What is the lowest-paying state for managers?
The lowest-paying state for managers is Arkansas, with an average salary of $42,727 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.
