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Best states for a case manager
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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- 41 - 51
It seems like case managers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for case managers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. In fact, our research shows that Illinois is the best state for case managers in America. The best city in America for case managers with the highest pay is Washington, DC.
In order to get you the best states for case managers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Illinois is the best state, and Nashua is the city with the highest pay for case managers.
10 best states for case managers in 2025
1. Illinois
Total case manager jobs: 1,577 Average annual salary: $54,441 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 1.042. Rhode Island
Total case manager jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $54,615 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.033. Maine
Total case manager jobs: 270 Average annual salary: $48,591 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.614. New York
Total case manager jobs: 2,066 Average annual salary: $52,099 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.275. New Jersey
Total case manager jobs: 1,014 Average annual salary: $53,820 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.016. California
Total case manager jobs: 4,612 Average annual salary: $53,898 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.247. District of Columbia
Total case manager jobs: 179 Average annual salary: $62,667 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 0.848. Nevada
Total case manager jobs: 255 Average annual salary: $51,419 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.969. Minnesota
Total case manager jobs: 858 Average annual salary: $49,209 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.0210. Alaska
Total case manager jobs: 123 Average annual salary: $49,483 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
Case manager jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a case manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a case manager
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $54,441 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,577 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $54,615 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 159 |
| 3 | Maine | $48,591 | $35,000 | 1,335,907 | 270 |
| 4 | New York | $52,099 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,066 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $53,820 | $36,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,014 |
| 6 | California | $53,898 | $33,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,612 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $62,667 | $41,000 | 693,972 | 179 |
| 8 | Nevada | $51,419 | $32,000 | 2,998,039 | 255 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $49,209 | $33,000 | 5,576,606 | 858 |
| 10 | Alaska | $49,483 | $34,000 | 739,795 | 123 |
| 11 | Michigan | $45,708 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,231 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $54,029 | $36,000 | 10,273,419 | 840 |
| 13 | Maryland | $48,352 | $32,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,077 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $46,913 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 273 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $52,449 | $35,000 | 1,427,538 | 107 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $55,808 | $40,000 | 1,342,795 | 0 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $50,593 | $35,000 | 3,588,184 | 367 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $46,776 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 78 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $45,123 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 556 |
| 20 | Washington | $42,144 | $27,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,165 |
| 21 | Virginia | $46,656 | $30,000 | 8,470,020 | 993 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $40,626 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,007 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $43,277 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 364 |
| 24 | Iowa | $40,932 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 415 |
| 25 | Ohio | $41,116 | $27,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,128 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $39,761 | $27,000 | 2,984,100 | 257 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $37,537 | $25,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,534 |
| 28 | Indiana | $38,376 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 800 |
| 29 | Delaware | $44,308 | $29,000 | 961,939 | 103 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $41,096 | $27,000 | 1,815,857 | 0 |
| 31 | Texas | $38,545 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,492 |
| 32 | Oregon | $40,111 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 466 |
| 33 | Florida | $36,071 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,368 |
| 34 | Georgia | $38,950 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,130 |
| 35 | Colorado | $38,909 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 675 |
| 36 | Vermont | $40,028 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 56 |
| 37 | Idaho | $35,791 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 209 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $36,515 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 380 |
| 39 | Arizona | $34,250 | $22,000 | 7,016,270 | 868 |
| 40 | Alabama | $37,739 | $25,000 | 4,874,747 | 0 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $35,731 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 562 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $35,687 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 503 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $35,172 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 107 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $32,176 | $22,000 | 3,930,864 | 381 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $34,660 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 52 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $31,172 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 274 |
| 47 | Montana | $28,369 | $19,000 | 1,050,493 | 146 |
| 48 | Utah | $35,372 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 0 |
| 49 | Kansas | $34,302 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 279 |
| 50 | Missouri | $34,294 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 552 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $26,691 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 299 |
Highest paying states for case managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Case Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $54,441 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $54,615 |
| 3 | Maine | $48,591 |
| 4 | New York | $52,099 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $53,820 |
| 6 | California | $53,898 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $62,667 |
| 8 | Nevada | $51,419 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $49,209 |
| 10 | Alaska | $49,483 |
| 11 | Michigan | $45,708 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $54,029 |
| 13 | Maryland | $48,352 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $46,913 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $52,449 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $55,808 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $50,593 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $46,776 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $45,123 |
| 20 | Washington | $42,144 |
| 21 | Virginia | $46,656 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $40,626 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $43,277 |
| 24 | Iowa | $40,932 |
| 25 | Ohio | $41,116 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $39,761 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $37,537 |
| 28 | Indiana | $38,376 |
| 29 | Delaware | $44,308 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $41,096 |
| 31 | Texas | $38,545 |
| 32 | Oregon | $40,111 |
| 33 | Florida | $36,071 |
| 34 | Georgia | $38,950 |
| 35 | Colorado | $38,909 |
| 36 | Vermont | $40,028 |
| 37 | Idaho | $35,791 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $36,515 |
| 39 | Arizona | $34,250 |
| 40 | Alabama | $37,739 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $35,731 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $35,687 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $35,172 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $32,176 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $34,660 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $31,172 |
| 47 | Montana | $28,369 |
| 48 | Utah | $35,372 |
| 49 | Kansas | $34,302 |
| 50 | Missouri | $34,294 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $26,691 |
Expert opinions on the best states for case managers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for case managers to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
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Updated January 8, 2025