Best states for a benefits manager

Q: What is the best state for benefits managers?

The best state to be a benefits manager is Pennsylvania based on benefits manager salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for benefits managers?

The highest paying state for benefits managers is Wyoming based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for benefits managers?

The worst state for benefits managers is Wyoming, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Benefits manager opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for benefits managers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for benefits managers.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for benefits manager jobs.

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 benefits managers.If you are currently seeking employment as a benefits manager, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for benefits managers in 2026

1. Pennsylvania
Total benefits manager jobs: 459
Average annual salary: $90,143
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Benefits manager jobs in Pennsylvania
2. Massachusetts
Total benefits manager jobs: 352
Average annual salary: $89,293
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Benefits manager jobs in Massachusetts
3. New York
Total benefits manager jobs: 514
Average annual salary: $89,867
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Benefits manager jobs in New York
4. District of Columbia
Total benefits manager jobs: 76
Average annual salary: $86,486
Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Benefits manager jobs in District of Columbia
5. Rhode Island
Total benefits manager jobs: 36
Average annual salary: $88,296
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000
Location Quotient:
0.88
Benefits manager jobs in Rhode Island
6. New Hampshire
Total benefits manager jobs: 53
Average annual salary: $85,174
Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
Benefits manager jobs in New Hampshire
7. Delaware
Total benefits manager jobs: 36
Average annual salary: $88,040
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Benefits manager jobs in Delaware
8. Virginia
Total benefits manager jobs: 382
Average annual salary: $77,581
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000
Location Quotient:
1.2
Benefits manager jobs in Virginia
9. North Carolina
Total benefits manager jobs: 321
Average annual salary: $78,037
Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Benefits manager jobs in North Carolina
10. Connecticut
Total benefits manager jobs: 118
Average annual salary: $79,754
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Benefits manager jobs in Connecticut

Benefits manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a benefits manager

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

Detailed list of the best states for a benefits manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Pennsylvania	$90,143	$53,000	12,805,537	459
2	Massachusetts	$89,293	$54,000	6,859,819	352
3	New York	$89,867	$54,000	19,849,399	514
4	District of Columbia	$86,486	$50,000	693,972	76
5	Rhode Island	$88,296	$53,000	1,059,639	36
6	New Hampshire	$85,174	$51,000	1,342,795	53
7	Delaware	$88,040	$52,000	961,939	36
8	Virginia	$77,581	$45,000	8,470,020	382
9	North Carolina	$78,037	$44,000	10,273,419	321
10	Connecticut	$79,754	$48,000	3,588,184	118
11	Nevada	$75,049	$43,000	2,998,039	76
12	Maryland	$78,909	$46,000	6,052,177	220
13	Maine	$79,512	$48,000	1,335,907	36
14	New Jersey	$79,166	$47,000	9,005,644	239
15	Indiana	$74,970	$43,000	6,666,818	191
16	Ohio	$72,225	$41,000	11,658,609	334
17	Utah	$67,478	$40,000	3,101,833	117
18	Michigan	$69,223	$40,000	9,962,311	240
19	California	$74,217	$42,000	39,536,653	1,210
20	Hawaii	$82,355	$54,000	1,427,538	22
21	West Virginia	$74,216	$42,000	1,815,857	21
22	Mississippi	$74,618	$42,000	2,984,100	32
23	Vermont	$71,318	$43,000	623,657	19
24	Missouri	$66,629	$38,000	6,113,532	170
25	Tennessee	$64,438	$36,000	6,715,984	166
26	Kentucky	$65,270	$37,000	4,454,189	92
27	Georgia	$63,223	$36,000	10,429,379	336
28	Iowa	$63,980	$37,000	3,145,711	92
29	Florida	$64,771	$37,000	20,984,400	441
30	Illinois	$58,980	$34,000	12,802,023	521
31	Oregon	$59,765	$35,000	4,142,776	174
32	Idaho	$62,899	$37,000	1,716,943	47
33	Nebraska	$62,618	$37,000	1,920,076	57
34	Arizona	$59,623	$34,000	7,016,270	218
35	South Carolina	$64,283	$36,000	5,024,369	92
36	Kansas	$62,833	$36,000	2,913,123	76
37	Arkansas	$60,398	$34,000	3,004,279	70
38	Washington	$54,018	$32,000	7,405,743	352
39	Texas	$57,121	$32,000	28,304,596	691
40	Louisiana	$62,458	$35,000	4,684,333	73
41	North Dakota	$61,581	$37,000	755,393	16
42	Alaska	$48,601	$40,000	739,795	28
43	Wisconsin	$53,708	$31,000	5,795,483	196
44	Montana	$48,232	$29,000	1,050,493	60
45	Alabama	$60,166	$34,000	4,874,747	75
46	New Mexico	$61,483	$35,000	2,088,070	23
47	Minnesota	$53,419	$31,000	5,576,606	197
48	Colorado	$51,103	$30,000	5,607,154	180
49	Oklahoma	$54,172	$31,000	3,930,864	72
50	South Dakota	$48,951	$29,000	869,666	17
51	Wyoming	$48,117	$29,000	579,315	12

Highest paying states for benefits managers

Rank	State	Avg. Benefits Manager Salary
1	Pennsylvania	$90,143
2	Massachusetts	$89,293
3	New York	$89,867
4	District of Columbia	$86,486
5	Rhode Island	$88,296
6	New Hampshire	$85,174
7	Delaware	$88,040
8	Virginia	$77,581
9	North Carolina	$78,037
10	Connecticut	$79,754
11	Nevada	$75,049
12	Maryland	$78,909
13	Maine	$79,512
14	New Jersey	$79,166
15	Indiana	$74,970
16	Ohio	$72,225
17	Utah	$67,478
18	Michigan	$69,223
19	California	$74,217
20	Hawaii	$82,355
21	West Virginia	$74,216
22	Mississippi	$74,618
23	Vermont	$71,318
24	Missouri	$66,629
25	Tennessee	$64,438
26	Kentucky	$65,270
27	Georgia	$63,223
28	Iowa	$63,980
29	Florida	$64,771
30	Illinois	$58,980
31	Oregon	$59,765
32	Idaho	$62,899
33	Nebraska	$62,618
34	Arizona	$59,623
35	South Carolina	$64,283
36	Kansas	$62,833
37	Arkansas	$60,398
38	Washington	$54,018
39	Texas	$57,121
40	Louisiana	$62,458
41	North Dakota	$61,581
42	Alaska	$48,601
43	Wisconsin	$53,708
44	Montana	$48,232
45	Alabama	$60,166
46	New Mexico	$61,483
47	Minnesota	$53,419
48	Colorado	$51,103
49	Oklahoma	$54,172
50	South Dakota	$48,951
51	Wyoming	$48,117

Best states for a benefits manager

10 best states for benefits managers in 2026

1. Pennsylvania

2. Massachusetts

3. New York

4. District of Columbia

5. Rhode Island

6. New Hampshire

7. Delaware

8. Virginia

9. North Carolina

10. Connecticut

Benefits manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a benefits manager

Detailed list of the best states for a benefits manager

Highest paying states for benefits managers

Benefits manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for benefits managers?

What is the highest paying state for benefits managers?

What is the worst state for benefits managers?

Search for benefits manager jobs

Total benefits manager jobs:	459
Average annual salary:	$90,143
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$53,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$151,000
Location Quotient:	1.17