Best states for an analyst

Q: What is the best state for analysts?

The best state to be an analyst is New Jersey based on analyst salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for analysts?

The highest paying state for analysts is Utah based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for analysts?

The worst state for analysts is Arkansas, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Lise Abrams Ph.D.

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

Analyst opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for analysts, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for analysts.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for analysts. We found that New Jersey is the best state in the nation for analysts, and people in Long Branch earn the most in the field.

The median salary for analysts in New Jersey is $83,090. Compare that to the median salary in Arkansas of $52,268, which ranked worst for analysts, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for analysts, and the Northeast is the worst. Jersey City, NJ is the best city in the country for analyst jobs, where as New Jersey is the best state in the country.

10 best states for analysts in 2026

1. New Jersey
Total analyst jobs: 3,336
Average annual salary: $83,090
Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Analyst jobs in New Jersey
2. New York
Total analyst jobs: 6,490
Average annual salary: $81,596
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Analyst jobs in New York
3. Massachusetts
Total analyst jobs: 4,054
Average annual salary: $78,745
Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Analyst jobs in Massachusetts
4. District of Columbia
Total analyst jobs: 2,197
Average annual salary: $82,775
Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000
Location Quotient:
3.42
Analyst jobs in District of Columbia
5. Rhode Island
Total analyst jobs: 587
Average annual salary: $71,897
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Analyst jobs in Rhode Island
6. Connecticut
Total analyst jobs: 1,185
Average annual salary: $78,948
Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Analyst jobs in Connecticut
7. Texas
Total analyst jobs: 7,660
Average annual salary: $72,639
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Analyst jobs in Texas
8. Virginia
Total analyst jobs: 6,892
Average annual salary: $72,877
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000
Location Quotient:
1.91
Analyst jobs in Virginia
9. Maryland
Total analyst jobs: 3,884
Average annual salary: $76,453
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000
Location Quotient:
1.6
Analyst jobs in Maryland
10. North Carolina
Total analyst jobs: 3,609
Average annual salary: $70,861
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Analyst jobs in North Carolina

Analyst jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an analyst

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for an analyst

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Jersey	$83,090	$61,000	9,005,644	3,336
2	New York	$81,596	$60,000	19,849,399	6,490
3	Massachusetts	$78,745	$58,000	6,859,819	4,054
4	District of Columbia	$82,775	$61,000	693,972	2,197
5	Rhode Island	$71,897	$53,000	1,059,639	587
6	Connecticut	$78,948	$58,000	3,588,184	1,185
7	Texas	$72,639	$52,000	28,304,596	7,660
8	Virginia	$72,877	$53,000	8,470,020	6,892
9	Maryland	$76,453	$56,000	6,052,177	3,884
10	North Carolina	$70,861	$52,000	10,273,419	3,609
11	California	$77,915	$55,000	39,536,653	11,878
12	Illinois	$70,175	$51,000	12,802,023	4,979
13	Georgia	$70,976	$52,000	10,429,379	3,540
14	Washington	$72,799	$50,000	7,405,743	2,574
15	Vermont	$68,528	$50,000	623,657	325
16	Pennsylvania	$68,705	$50,000	12,805,537	4,016
17	Oregon	$70,089	$49,000	4,142,776	1,712
18	Alabama	$69,197	$50,000	4,874,747	1,267
19	Colorado	$69,608	$49,000	5,607,154	2,604
20	Ohio	$67,665	$49,000	11,658,609	3,121
21	New Hampshire	$68,843	$51,000	1,342,795	569
22	Arizona	$66,537	$47,000	7,016,270	2,360
23	Michigan	$67,575	$49,000	9,962,311	2,154
24	Hawaii	$66,515	$52,000	1,427,538	561
25	Wisconsin	$64,606	$46,000	5,795,483	1,720
26	Minnesota	$65,226	$46,000	5,576,606	2,347
27	Alaska	$64,210	$49,000	739,795	340
28	Maine	$64,460	$47,000	1,335,907	400
29	Missouri	$64,574	$46,000	6,113,532	1,724
30	Oklahoma	$64,085	$46,000	3,930,864	672
31	Florida	$62,627	$46,000	20,984,400	5,408
32	South Carolina	$63,883	$47,000	5,024,369	1,046
33	Delaware	$60,618	$44,000	961,939	661
34	Iowa	$63,279	$45,000	3,145,711	843
35	Tennessee	$60,535	$44,000	6,715,984	1,706
36	Nevada	$61,522	$43,000	2,998,039	695
37	Nebraska	$58,030	$41,000	1,920,076	800
38	New Mexico	$60,012	$43,000	2,088,070	577
39	Louisiana	$62,051	$45,000	4,684,333	729
40	Wyoming	$56,647	$40,000	579,315	237
41	Indiana	$59,616	$43,000	6,666,818	1,659
42	Idaho	$57,940	$40,000	1,716,943	539
43	Kansas	$58,312	$42,000	2,913,123	853
44	Utah	$50,566	$35,000	3,101,833	1,390
45	West Virginia	$57,254	$42,000	1,815,857	350
46	Kentucky	$57,401	$41,000	4,454,189	973
47	Montana	$55,252	$38,000	1,050,493	399
48	North Dakota	$50,840	$36,000	755,393	313
49	Mississippi	$57,354	$41,000	2,984,100	456
50	South Dakota	$55,410	$39,000	869,666	298
51	Arkansas	$52,268	$37,000	3,004,279	747

Highest paying states for analysts

Rank	State	Avg. Analyst Salary
1	New Jersey	$83,090
2	New York	$81,596
3	Massachusetts	$78,745
4	District of Columbia	$82,775
5	Rhode Island	$71,897
6	Connecticut	$78,948
7	Texas	$72,639
8	Virginia	$72,877
9	Maryland	$76,453
10	North Carolina	$70,861
11	California	$77,915
12	Illinois	$70,175
13	Georgia	$70,976
14	Washington	$72,799
15	Vermont	$68,528
16	Pennsylvania	$68,705
17	Oregon	$70,089
18	Alabama	$69,197
19	Colorado	$69,608
20	Ohio	$67,665
21	New Hampshire	$68,843
22	Arizona	$66,537
23	Michigan	$67,575
24	Hawaii	$66,515
25	Wisconsin	$64,606
26	Minnesota	$65,226
27	Alaska	$64,210
28	Maine	$64,460
29	Missouri	$64,574
30	Oklahoma	$64,085
31	Florida	$62,627
32	South Carolina	$63,883
33	Delaware	$60,618
34	Iowa	$63,279
35	Tennessee	$60,535
36	Nevada	$61,522
37	Nebraska	$58,030
38	New Mexico	$60,012
39	Louisiana	$62,051
40	Wyoming	$56,647
41	Indiana	$59,616
42	Idaho	$57,940
43	Kansas	$58,312
44	Utah	$50,566
45	West Virginia	$57,254
46	Kentucky	$57,401
47	Montana	$55,252
48	North Dakota	$50,840
49	Mississippi	$57,354
50	South Dakota	$55,410
51	Arkansas	$52,268

Expert opinions on the best states for analysts

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for analysts to find work opportunities?
Lise Abrams Ph.D.
Professor of Linguistics and Cognitive Science; Coordinator of Cognitive Science, Pomona College
Some of our students have gone on to technology-related jobs at Microsoft and Google, research jobs at corporations such as RAND, and teaching positions like Teach for America, to give a few examples. A liberal arts foundation truly helps to prepare students for a variety of careers.

Analyst best states FAQs

What is the best state for analysts?

What is the highest paying state for analysts?

What is the worst state for analysts?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

Search for analyst jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse business and financial jobs

Total analyst jobs:	3,336
Average annual salary:	$83,090
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$61,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$112,000
Location Quotient:	1.1

Best states for an analyst

10 best states for analysts in 2026

1. New Jersey

2. New York

3. Massachusetts

4. District of Columbia

5. Rhode Island

6. Connecticut

7. Texas

8. Virginia

9. Maryland

10. North Carolina