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These Are The 10 States With The Highest Eligibility Specialist Salaries For 2026

By Chris Kolmar
Feb. 1, 2018
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Feb. 1, 2026

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Top 10 States with the Highest Salaries for Eligibility Specialists in 2026




In today’s job market, salary remains the top priority for job seekers across various demographics. If you’re considering a career as an eligibility specialist, it’s crucial to know the earning potential in your state. Understanding salary trends can help you negotiate better and make informed career decisions.

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides insights into the average salaries for eligibility specialists across the United States, categorized by state and seniority level. While individual salaries may vary based on location and experience, these averages serve as a valuable benchmark.

It’s also important to consider the cost of living in different states, as your salary can have varying purchasing power depending on where you live. For instance, a salary in North Carolina may afford you a different lifestyle compared to one in California.

After adjusting for cost of living, here are the top states for eligibility specialists based on average salaries:

  1. Iowa
  2. Michigan
  3. Illinois
  4. Kentucky
  5. Wyoming
  6. Minnesota
  7. Pennsylvania
  8. Rhode Island
  9. Oklahoma
  10. Utah

Let’s delve deeper into the data and explore a comprehensive ranking of eligibility specialist salaries across the states.

If you’re interested in further career resources, consider checking out the following articles:

How We Determined Salaries by State

We utilized the latest annual salary data for eligibility specialists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, specifically their ‘Occupational Employment Statistics.’ To ensure accurate comparisons across states, we factored in the cost of living in each state.

We created an index by dividing the average wage for a state by the cost of living relative to the national average. For example, if California has a cost of living index of 135.9 and an average pay of $48,160, the adjusted salary would be calculated as follows:

$48,160 * (100 / 135.9) = $35,437

Using this method, we ranked each state to determine where eligibility specialists can expect the highest adjusted salaries.

Detailed List of Eligibility Specialist Salaries by State

Rank State Adjusted Salary Average Wage Cost Of Living
1 Iowa $59,692 $54,320 91.0
2 Michigan $57,629 $51,290 89.0
3 Illinois $52,748 $49,900 94.6
4 Kentucky $49,580 $44,870 90.5
5 Wyoming $48,943 $44,930 91.8
6 Minnesota $47,549 $47,930 100.8
7 Pennsylvania $47,041 $47,700 101.4
8 Rhode Island $46,503 $56,130 120.7
9 Oklahoma $46,423 $41,410 89.2
10 Utah $45,913 $42,700 93.0
11 Connecticut $45,082 $57,570 127.7
12 Ohio $44,925 $42,140 93.8
13 North Dakota $44,818 $44,550 99.4
14 New Mexico $44,279 $42,730 96.5
15 Washington $44,011 $46,300 105.2
16 Wisconsin $43,677 $42,280 96.8
17 Tennessee $43,668 $39,040 89.4
18 Kansas $43,325 $38,950 89.9
19 Alabama $43,092 $39,300 91.2
20 Missouri $43,064 $38,930 90.4
21 Colorado $43,063 $44,700 103.8
22 Virginia $42,380 $42,720 100.8
23 Nevada $41,210 $42,570 103.3
24 Arizona $40,989 $40,170 98.0
25 Indiana $40,715 $36,440 89.5
26 Nebraska $40,622 $37,210 91.6
27 Louisiana $40,601 $38,490 94.8
28 Idaho $40,597 $37,390 92.1
29 Alaska $40,266 $52,790 131.1
30 North Carolina $39,893 $37,460 93.9
31 Texas $39,614 $35,930 90.7
32 Maryland $39,537 $49,620 125.5
33 Arkansas $39,311 $34,240 87.1
34 Georgia $38,730 $35,400 91.4
35 Vermont $38,629 $46,780 121.1
36 South Carolina $38,397 $38,090 99.2
37 Massachusetts $38,268 $51,050 133.4
38 Florida $38,260 $37,610 98.3
39 New Jersey $37,875 $46,170 121.9
40 Mississippi $37,043 $31,820 85.9
41 New York $36,580 $47,920 131.0
42 Montana $36,468 $36,760 100.8
43 California $35,437 $48,160 135.9
44 New Hampshire $35,367 $41,380 117.0
45 Maine $35,000 $38,780 110.8
46 South Dakota $33,934 $35,190 103.7
47 Oregon $33,347 $38,550 115.6
48 Delaware $33,293 $33,760 101.4
49 West Virginia $32,740 $30,580 93.4
50 Hawaii $27,581 $46,310 167.9
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Author

Chris Kolmar

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.

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