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Best states for a business development specialist
Quoted expert
Dr. Joseph Schuessler
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Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to business development specialist 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. Our research found that Wisconsin is the best state for business development specialists, while Wisconsin and New Jersey are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Wisconsin has a median salary of $71,955 and Wisconsin has the highest median salary among all 50 states for business development specialists.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for business development specialists. Wisconsin is the best state for business development specialists, where the median salary is $71,955.Wisconsin is the best state, and Green Bay is the city with the highest pay for business development specialists.
10 best states for business development specialists in 2025
1. Wisconsin
Total business development specialist jobs: 1,590 Average annual salary: $71,955 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
2. Utah
Total business development specialist jobs: 951 Average annual salary: $69,265 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
3. Pennsylvania
Total business development specialist jobs: 3,375 Average annual salary: $66,646 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
4. Michigan
Total business development specialist jobs: 2,037 Average annual salary: $68,052 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
5. New Hampshire
Total business development specialist jobs: 602 Average annual salary: $64,883 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
6. Minnesota
Total business development specialist jobs: 2,077 Average annual salary: $62,753 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
7. Ohio
Total business development specialist jobs: 2,564 Average annual salary: $63,856 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
8. Delaware
Total business development specialist jobs: 228 Average annual salary: $70,519 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
9. District of Columbia
Total business development specialist jobs: 681 Average annual salary: $64,969 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1.77
10. New Jersey
Total business development specialist jobs: 1,170 Average annual salary: $70,958 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
Business development specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a business development specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a business development specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $71,955 | $46,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,590 |
| 2 | Utah | $69,265 | $44,000 | 3,101,833 | 951 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $66,646 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,375 |
| 4 | Michigan | $68,052 | $44,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,037 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $64,883 | $43,000 | 1,342,795 | 602 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $62,753 | $40,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,077 |
| 7 | Ohio | $63,856 | $41,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,564 |
| 8 | Delaware | $70,519 | $45,000 | 961,939 | 228 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $64,969 | $42,000 | 693,972 | 681 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $70,958 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,170 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $58,783 | $37,000 | 1,920,076 | 656 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $58,614 | $37,000 | 869,666 | 297 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $68,397 | $45,000 | 3,588,184 | 534 |
| 14 | Washington | $66,043 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,375 |
| 15 | Oregon | $64,761 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 859 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $58,098 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 355 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $66,723 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,649 |
| 18 | Indiana | $60,342 | $38,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,492 |
| 19 | Virginia | $65,368 | $42,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,848 |
| 20 | Vermont | $57,318 | $38,000 | 623,657 | 236 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $57,924 | $37,000 | 1,815,857 | 348 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $59,151 | $38,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,156 |
| 23 | Illinois | $63,026 | $40,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,108 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $55,693 | $36,000 | 755,393 | 250 |
| 25 | New York | $63,458 | $41,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,569 |
| 26 | Colorado | $62,236 | $40,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,180 |
| 27 | Maine | $56,679 | $38,000 | 1,335,907 | 346 |
| 28 | Maryland | $61,765 | $40,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,551 |
| 29 | Missouri | $56,563 | $36,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,531 |
| 30 | Montana | $57,741 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 265 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $51,693 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 830 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $54,723 | $35,000 | 4,454,189 | 921 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $52,135 | $33,000 | 579,315 | 165 |
| 34 | Alaska | $50,989 | $37,000 | 739,795 | 285 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $54,162 | $36,000 | 4,684,333 | 727 |
| 36 | Kansas | $51,822 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 818 |
| 37 | Iowa | $51,480 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 961 |
| 38 | Nevada | $50,951 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 595 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $46,144 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 297 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $49,962 | $32,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,517 |
| 41 | California | $53,535 | $35,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,672 |
| 42 | Idaho | $53,789 | $34,000 | 1,716,943 | 248 |
| 43 | Alabama | $49,260 | $32,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,103 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $50,122 | $33,000 | 5,024,369 | 994 |
| 45 | Texas | $51,958 | $35,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,612 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $49,545 | $33,000 | 2,984,100 | 465 |
| 47 | Georgia | $50,915 | $33,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,254 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $45,812 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 522 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $49,702 | $32,000 | 3,930,864 | 674 |
| 50 | Arizona | $50,366 | $33,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,170 |
| 51 | Florida | $45,964 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,746 |
Highest paying states for business development specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Business Development Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $71,955 |
| 2 | Utah | $69,265 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $66,646 |
| 4 | Michigan | $68,052 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $64,883 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $62,753 |
| 7 | Ohio | $63,856 |
| 8 | Delaware | $70,519 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $64,969 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $70,958 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $58,783 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $58,614 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $68,397 |
| 14 | Washington | $66,043 |
| 15 | Oregon | $64,761 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $58,098 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $66,723 |
| 18 | Indiana | $60,342 |
| 19 | Virginia | $65,368 |
| 20 | Vermont | $57,318 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $57,924 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $59,151 |
| 23 | Illinois | $63,026 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $55,693 |
| 25 | New York | $63,458 |
| 26 | Colorado | $62,236 |
| 27 | Maine | $56,679 |
| 28 | Maryland | $61,765 |
| 29 | Missouri | $56,563 |
| 30 | Montana | $57,741 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $51,693 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $54,723 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $52,135 |
| 34 | Alaska | $50,989 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $54,162 |
| 36 | Kansas | $51,822 |
| 37 | Iowa | $51,480 |
| 38 | Nevada | $50,951 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $46,144 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $49,962 |
| 41 | California | $53,535 |
| 42 | Idaho | $53,789 |
| 43 | Alabama | $49,260 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $50,122 |
| 45 | Texas | $51,958 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $49,545 |
| 47 | Georgia | $50,915 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $45,812 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $49,702 |
| 50 | Arizona | $50,366 |
| 51 | Florida | $45,964 |
Expert opinions on the best states for business development specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for business development specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Joseph Schuessler
Associate Dean, Tarleton State University
Certainly! Much like finance, many suitable positions for finance majors are also ideal for business economics majors. In our region, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas routinely recruits our majors. Traditional positions in the financial sector, such as investment and market analysts, stockbrokers, bank managers, etc. are all attracted to motivated business economics majors.
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Updated January 8, 2025