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Best states for an associate manager
Quoted expert
Dr. Timothy Edwards
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to associate manager jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of associate managers in America is $124,000.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for associate managers.We found that New York is the best state for associate manager jobs, whereas Alaska is the worst.
10 best states for associate managers in 2026
1. New York
Total associate manager jobs: 7,486 Average annual salary: $93,731 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
2. New Jersey
Total associate manager jobs: 4,376 Average annual salary: $94,801 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
3. Pennsylvania
Total associate manager jobs: 6,966 Average annual salary: $79,344 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
4. Delaware
Total associate manager jobs: 685 Average annual salary: $92,848 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
5. Wisconsin
Total associate manager jobs: 3,113 Average annual salary: $81,360 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location Quotient: 1
6. Illinois
Total associate manager jobs: 7,184 Average annual salary: $79,922 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
7. Maryland
Total associate manager jobs: 3,581 Average annual salary: $85,486 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1
8. Michigan
Total associate manager jobs: 4,725 Average annual salary: $74,815 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
9. North Carolina
Total associate manager jobs: 6,398 Average annual salary: $71,420 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
10. Ohio
Total associate manager jobs: 6,236 Average annual salary: $71,806 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
Associate manager jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an associate manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an associate manager
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $93,731 | $56,000 | 19,849,399 | 7,486 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $94,801 | $57,000 | 9,005,644 | 4,376 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $79,344 | $47,000 | 12,805,537 | 6,966 |
| 4 | Delaware | $92,848 | $55,000 | 961,939 | 685 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $81,360 | $46,000 | 5,795,483 | 3,113 |
| 6 | Illinois | $79,922 | $45,000 | 12,802,023 | 7,184 |
| 7 | Maryland | $85,486 | $50,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,581 |
| 8 | Michigan | $74,815 | $43,000 | 9,962,311 | 4,725 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $71,420 | $37,000 | 10,273,419 | 6,398 |
| 10 | Ohio | $71,806 | $41,000 | 11,658,609 | 6,236 |
| 11 | Virginia | $86,754 | $49,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,166 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $106,279 | $63,000 | 693,972 | 511 |
| 13 | Indiana | $69,241 | $39,000 | 6,666,818 | 4,009 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $84,255 | $50,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,725 |
| 15 | California | $79,348 | $41,000 | 39,536,653 | 16,467 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $75,033 | $42,000 | 5,576,606 | 3,650 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $76,114 | $43,000 | 869,666 | 431 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $60,678 | $33,000 | 4,454,189 | 2,163 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $73,267 | $44,000 | 1,059,639 | 553 |
| 20 | Washington | $75,474 | $40,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,160 |
| 21 | Iowa | $63,957 | $35,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,993 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $74,661 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,814 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $47,357 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 3,806 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $64,018 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 422 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $60,176 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 793 |
| 26 | Oregon | $63,338 | $33,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,947 |
| 27 | Arizona | $56,169 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,177 |
| 28 | Nevada | $52,040 | $26,000 | 2,998,039 | 1,154 |
| 29 | Colorado | $56,487 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,139 |
| 30 | Texas | $44,407 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 12,125 |
| 31 | Montana | $50,874 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 637 |
| 32 | Missouri | $43,363 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 3,657 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $54,547 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 984 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $51,807 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 296 |
| 35 | Alabama | $41,194 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 2,769 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $53,543 | $31,000 | 1,342,795 | 845 |
| 37 | Georgia | $45,574 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 5,795 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $47,957 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 2,435 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $38,509 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,524 |
| 40 | Florida | $30,101 | $12,000 | 20,984,400 | 9,778 |
| 41 | Idaho | $47,724 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 703 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $35,090 | $15,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,807 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $31,500 | $23,000 | 1,427,538 | 472 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $35,971 | $18,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,730 |
| 45 | Kansas | $41,378 | $22,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,598 |
| 46 | Vermont | $45,844 | $26,000 | 623,657 | 278 |
| 47 | Maine | $41,827 | $24,000 | 1,335,907 | 623 |
| 48 | Utah | $35,183 | $18,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,774 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $43,948 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 754 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $26,534 | $12,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,195 |
| 51 | Alaska | $40,656 | $25,000 | 739,795 | 316 |
Highest paying states for associate managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Associate Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $93,731 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $94,801 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $79,344 |
| 4 | Delaware | $92,848 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $81,360 |
| 6 | Illinois | $79,922 |
| 7 | Maryland | $85,486 |
| 8 | Michigan | $74,815 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $71,420 |
| 10 | Ohio | $71,806 |
| 11 | Virginia | $86,754 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $106,279 |
| 13 | Indiana | $69,241 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $84,255 |
| 15 | California | $79,348 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $75,033 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $76,114 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $60,678 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $73,267 |
| 20 | Washington | $75,474 |
| 21 | Iowa | $63,957 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $74,661 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $47,357 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $64,018 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $60,176 |
| 26 | Oregon | $63,338 |
| 27 | Arizona | $56,169 |
| 28 | Nevada | $52,040 |
| 29 | Colorado | $56,487 |
| 30 | Texas | $44,407 |
| 31 | Montana | $50,874 |
| 32 | Missouri | $43,363 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $54,547 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $51,807 |
| 35 | Alabama | $41,194 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $53,543 |
| 37 | Georgia | $45,574 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $47,957 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $38,509 |
| 40 | Florida | $30,101 |
| 41 | Idaho | $47,724 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $35,090 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $31,500 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $35,971 |
| 45 | Kansas | $41,378 |
| 46 | Vermont | $45,844 |
| 47 | Maine | $41,827 |
| 48 | Utah | $35,183 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $43,948 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $26,534 |
| 51 | Alaska | $40,656 |
Expert opinions on the best states for associate managers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for associate managers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Timothy Edwards
Professor, Interim Director, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Like most jobs, opportunities exist in major media hubs like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta. But one can find digital media jobs in medium and small markets as well. Looking media and media-related jobs in non-traditional places such as hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, religious institutions could bear fruit for the enterprizing college graduate.
Associate manager best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025