Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these insights on chief operating officer salaries by state across the United States for 2026:
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New Jersey continues to lead with the highest chief operating officer salary of $170,805.
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Mississippi remains at the bottom with the lowest chief operating officer salary of $71,645.
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The national average salary for chief operating officers is $136,604.
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Nationally, hourly pay for chief operating officers is $65.67.
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In 2026, salary remains the top priority for job seekers across various demographics, underscoring the question: how much do chief operating officers earn in my area?
While individual salaries can vary significantly based on specific circumstances, these average salaries by state provide a valuable benchmark for what you might expect to earn in this role. The state with the highest salary for chief operating officers is still New Jersey.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for chief operating officer salaries:
Let’s explore how we arrived at these figures and provide a complete ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Chief Operating Officers By State
| Rank | State | Average Chief Operating Officer Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $170,805 | $114,000 | $253,000 |
| 2 | New York | $163,488 | $108,000 | $246,000 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $162,206 | $107,000 | $245,000 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $150,774 | $97,000 | $233,000 |
| 5 | California | $148,076 | $93,000 | $234,000 |
| 6 | Virginia | $145,032 | $92,000 | $226,000 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $143,746 | $91,000 | $225,000 |
| 8 | Illinois | $141,160 | $88,000 | $225,000 |
| 9 | Maryland | $140,780 | $89,000 | $222,000 |
| 10 | Delaware | $139,163 | $88,000 | $220,000 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $138,436 | $87,000 | $219,000 |
| 12 | Michigan | $138,396 | $86,000 | $222,000 |
| 13 | Texas | $136,826 | $85,000 | $219,000 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $136,414 | $86,000 | $216,000 |
| 15 | Nevada | $132,764 | $81,000 | $217,000 |
| 16 | Washington | $128,515 | $78,000 | $210,000 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $127,600 | $77,000 | $209,000 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $120,165 | $73,000 | $195,000 |
| 19 | Maine | $120,022 | $72,000 | $198,000 |
| 20 | Georgia | $119,472 | $73,000 | $194,000 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $118,433 | $72,000 | $194,000 |
| 22 | Louisiana | $118,328 | $72,000 | $194,000 |
| 23 | Arizona | $117,720 | $70,000 | $196,000 |
| 24 | Alabama | $117,267 | $71,000 | $191,000 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $115,442 | $69,000 | $191,000 |
| 26 | Ohio | $113,925 | $68,000 | $190,000 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $111,549 | $68,000 | $182,000 |
| 28 | Colorado | $108,930 | $65,000 | $182,000 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $106,129 | $63,000 | $177,000 |
| 30 | Oregon | $105,424 | $61,000 | $181,000 |
| 31 | Missouri | $105,314 | $62,000 | $176,000 |
| 32 | Florida | $104,718 | $65,000 | $167,000 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $104,717 | $61,000 | $177,000 |
| 34 | Vermont | $103,310 | $60,000 | $176,000 |
| 35 | Iowa | $103,067 | $60,000 | $174,000 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $101,592 | $60,000 | $170,000 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $95,599 | $56,000 | $163,000 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $95,230 | $57,000 | $158,000 |
| 39 | Idaho | $94,921 | $55,000 | $162,000 |
| 40 | Alaska | $93,141 | $55,000 | $156,000 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $92,116 | $54,000 | $156,000 |
| 42 | Indiana | $91,657 | $53,000 | $157,000 |
| 43 | Utah | $90,328 | $52,000 | $155,000 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $89,166 | $52,000 | $152,000 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $88,615 | $52,000 | $150,000 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $87,158 | $51,000 | $147,000 |
| 47 | Montana | $83,818 | $50,000 | $138,000 |
| 48 | Kansas | $83,143 | $48,000 | $141,000 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $76,393 | $44,000 | $130,000 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $71,645 | $42,000 | $121,000 |
Methodology: Chief Operating Officer Salary By State
To understand chief operating officer salaries by state, Zippia has aggregated data from various reliable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We supplement this data with actual salaries listed in job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average based on these inputs to derive average pay for chief operating officers by state.
We analyzed average annual salary data for chief operating officers and ranked every state accordingly, with the state offering the highest salary ranked as the best for chief operating officers.
Chief Operating Officer Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for chief operating officers?
The highest-paid state for chief operating officers is New Jersey with an average salary of $170,805 per year.
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What city pays chief operating officers the most?
Jersey City, NJ pays chief operating officers the highest, with an average salary of $188,014 per year.
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What is the worst state for chief operating officers?
The worst state for chief operating officers is Mississippi with an average salary of $71,645 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.
