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Best states for a builder
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for builders? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for builder jobs.We wanted to look at the best states for builders -- where there are plenty of builder jobs to go around and builders get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
The median salary for builders in Minnesota is $41,002. Compare that to the median salary in West Virginia of $24,174, which ranked worst for builders, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Minnesota is the best state, and Bellingham is the city with the highest pay for builders.
10 best states for builders in 2026
1. Minnesota
Total builder jobs: 64 Average annual salary: $41,002 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.76
2. Alaska
Total builder jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $40,056 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.96
3. Wisconsin
Total builder jobs: 55 Average annual salary: $36,387 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.81
4. California
Total builder jobs: 142 Average annual salary: $47,200 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
5. Washington
Total builder jobs: 28 Average annual salary: $47,696 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
6. Illinois
Total builder jobs: 49 Average annual salary: $37,107 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
7. Colorado
Total builder jobs: 35 Average annual salary: $37,087 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
8. Oregon
Total builder jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $38,455 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.62
9. Wyoming
Total builder jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $38,091 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0
10. Michigan
Total builder jobs: 48 Average annual salary: $33,002 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
Builder jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a builder
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a builder
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $41,002 | $31,000 | 5,576,606 | 64 |
| 2 | Alaska | $40,056 | $36,000 | 739,795 | 9 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $36,387 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 55 |
| 4 | California | $47,200 | $35,000 | 39,536,653 | 142 |
| 5 | Washington | $47,696 | $38,000 | 7,405,743 | 28 |
| 6 | Illinois | $37,107 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 49 |
| 7 | Colorado | $37,087 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 35 |
| 8 | Oregon | $38,455 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 14 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $38,091 | $29,000 | 579,315 | 0 |
| 10 | Michigan | $33,002 | $24,000 | 9,962,311 | 48 |
| 11 | Nevada | $34,169 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 10 |
| 12 | Iowa | $32,103 | $24,000 | 3,145,711 | 28 |
| 13 | New York | $36,867 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 34 |
| 14 | Utah | $31,851 | $24,000 | 3,101,833 | 25 |
| 15 | Montana | $35,331 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 2 |
| 16 | Indiana | $32,134 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 34 |
| 17 | Missouri | $34,667 | $25,000 | 6,113,532 | 15 |
| 18 | Ohio | $31,289 | $23,000 | 11,658,609 | 59 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $34,202 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 0 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $30,299 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 29 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $36,077 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 6 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $32,076 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 43 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $31,421 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 4 |
| 24 | Virginia | $31,421 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 65 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $37,875 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 0 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $32,947 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 5 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $32,408 | $24,000 | 6,859,819 | 26 |
| 28 | Vermont | $32,397 | $25,000 | 623,657 | 1 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $28,530 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 44 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $30,807 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 4 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $29,015 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 17 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $30,607 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 6 |
| 33 | Idaho | $29,316 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 11 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $31,440 | $23,000 | 1,059,639 | 0 |
| 35 | Kansas | $29,142 | $21,000 | 2,913,123 | 13 |
| 36 | Texas | $28,656 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 127 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $31,384 | $23,000 | 9,005,644 | 16 |
| 38 | Arizona | $28,837 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 39 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $26,985 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 85 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $25,884 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 56 |
| 41 | Alabama | $28,303 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 19 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $29,082 | $21,000 | 3,004,279 | 4 |
| 43 | Delaware | $30,715 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 0 |
| 44 | Maryland | $30,077 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 22 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $25,730 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 23 |
| 46 | Maine | $24,905 | $19,000 | 1,335,907 | 11 |
| 47 | Georgia | $25,823 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 62 |
| 48 | Florida | $21,222 | $15,000 | 20,984,400 | 163 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $25,433 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 5 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $25,226 | $18,000 | 2,088,070 | 6 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $24,174 | $17,000 | 1,815,857 | 5 |
Highest paying states for builders
| Rank | State | Avg. Builder Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $41,002 |
| 2 | Alaska | $40,056 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $36,387 |
| 4 | California | $47,200 |
| 5 | Washington | $47,696 |
| 6 | Illinois | $37,107 |
| 7 | Colorado | $37,087 |
| 8 | Oregon | $38,455 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $38,091 |
| 10 | Michigan | $33,002 |
| 11 | Nevada | $34,169 |
| 12 | Iowa | $32,103 |
| 13 | New York | $36,867 |
| 14 | Utah | $31,851 |
| 15 | Montana | $35,331 |
| 16 | Indiana | $32,134 |
| 17 | Missouri | $34,667 |
| 18 | Ohio | $31,289 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $34,202 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $30,299 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $36,077 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $32,076 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $31,421 |
| 24 | Virginia | $31,421 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $37,875 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $32,947 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $32,408 |
| 28 | Vermont | $32,397 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $28,530 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $30,807 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $29,015 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $30,607 |
| 33 | Idaho | $29,316 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $31,440 |
| 35 | Kansas | $29,142 |
| 36 | Texas | $28,656 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $31,384 |
| 38 | Arizona | $28,837 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $26,985 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $25,884 |
| 41 | Alabama | $28,303 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $29,082 |
| 43 | Delaware | $30,715 |
| 44 | Maryland | $30,077 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $25,730 |
| 46 | Maine | $24,905 |
| 47 | Georgia | $25,823 |
| 48 | Florida | $21,222 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $25,433 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $25,226 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $24,174 |
Builder best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025