Best states for a business manager

Q: What is the best state for business managers?

The best state to be a business manager is Connecticut based on business manager salaries and job opportunities.

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

The highest paying state for business managers is Arkansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for business managers?

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

Quoted expert

Michelle Gordon

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

Are you thinking of becoming a business manager and really want to work at Nordstrom? Turns out, your chances to become a business manager are better in some states than others.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 business manager jobs.

We figured that the best places for business manager jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for business managers, and the Northeast is the worst. Seattle, WA is the best city in the country for business manager jobs, where as Connecticut is the best state in the country.

10 best states for business managers in 2026

1. Connecticut
Total business manager jobs: 909
Average annual salary: $111,128
Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $185,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Business manager jobs in Connecticut
2. Washington
Total business manager jobs: 1,896
Average annual salary: $114,590
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $192,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Business manager jobs in Washington
3. Rhode Island
Total business manager jobs: 386
Average annual salary: $95,856
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Business manager jobs in Rhode Island
4. Alaska
Total business manager jobs: 247
Average annual salary: $93,059
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Business manager jobs in Alaska
5. District of Columbia
Total business manager jobs: 626
Average annual salary: $95,787
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000
Location Quotient:
1.5
Business manager jobs in District of Columbia
6. New York
Total business manager jobs: 3,209
Average annual salary: $105,372
Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Business manager jobs in New York
7. California
Total business manager jobs: 8,438
Average annual salary: $94,300
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $169,000
Location Quotient:
1.16
Business manager jobs in California
8. Wisconsin
Total business manager jobs: 1,495
Average annual salary: $85,635
Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000
Location Quotient:
1.09
Business manager jobs in Wisconsin
9. New Jersey
Total business manager jobs: 1,685
Average annual salary: $109,623
Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $183,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Business manager jobs in New Jersey
10. North Carolina
Total business manager jobs: 2,901
Average annual salary: $79,943
Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Business manager jobs in North Carolina

Business manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a business manager

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

Detailed list of the best states for a business manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Connecticut	$111,128	$66,000	3,588,184	909
2	Washington	$114,590	$68,000	7,405,743	1,896
3	Rhode Island	$95,856	$56,000	1,059,639	386
4	Alaska	$93,059	$52,000	739,795	247
5	District of Columbia	$95,787	$55,000	693,972	626
6	New York	$105,372	$62,000	19,849,399	3,209
7	California	$94,300	$52,000	39,536,653	8,438
8	Wisconsin	$85,635	$49,000	5,795,483	1,495
9	New Jersey	$109,623	$65,000	9,005,644	1,685
10	North Carolina	$79,943	$44,000	10,273,419	2,901
11	Minnesota	$83,532	$48,000	5,576,606	1,843
12	New Hampshire	$82,835	$48,000	1,342,795	474
13	Massachusetts	$99,066	$58,000	6,859,819	1,961
14	Virginia	$93,859	$54,000	8,470,020	2,173
15	Delaware	$94,487	$55,000	961,939	276
16	Pennsylvania	$76,481	$44,000	12,805,537	3,211
17	Maryland	$75,369	$43,000	6,052,177	1,889
18	Oregon	$86,134	$49,000	4,142,776	855
19	Michigan	$72,186	$41,000	9,962,311	1,980
20	Illinois	$77,639	$44,000	12,802,023	2,748
21	Vermont	$66,252	$38,000	623,657	246
22	Ohio	$68,276	$38,000	11,658,609	2,731
23	South Dakota	$78,406	$45,000	869,666	221
24	Nevada	$66,563	$36,000	2,998,039	604
25	Indiana	$69,201	$38,000	6,666,818	1,647
26	North Dakota	$79,334	$47,000	755,393	180
27	Colorado	$75,423	$42,000	5,607,154	1,328
28	Texas	$70,519	$38,000	28,304,596	4,529
29	Tennessee	$63,866	$35,000	6,715,984	1,467
30	Wyoming	$63,739	$36,000	579,315	154
31	Alabama	$62,652	$34,000	4,874,747	1,110
32	Maine	$62,370	$35,000	1,335,907	349
33	Louisiana	$63,925	$35,000	4,684,333	718
34	Montana	$60,401	$35,000	1,050,493	276
35	Idaho	$65,996	$37,000	1,716,943	234
36	Arizona	$60,392	$32,000	7,016,270	1,342
37	Georgia	$60,486	$33,000	10,429,379	2,207
38	Utah	$47,745	$26,000	3,101,833	1,019
39	South Carolina	$54,611	$30,000	5,024,369	1,042
40	Hawaii	$49,953	$29,000	1,427,538	226
41	Arkansas	$42,187	$23,000	3,004,279	777
42	Nebraska	$54,922	$30,000	1,920,076	469
43	West Virginia	$51,239	$28,000	1,815,857	344
44	Iowa	$53,079	$29,000	3,145,711	803
45	Kentucky	$49,032	$26,000	4,454,189	927
46	Kansas	$50,024	$27,000	2,913,123	717
47	New Mexico	$57,053	$30,000	2,088,070	367
48	Missouri	$48,828	$27,000	6,113,532	1,457
49	Florida	$54,654	$32,000	20,984,400	3,167
50	Oklahoma	$49,959	$27,000	3,930,864	619
51	Mississippi	$49,625	$27,000	2,984,100	420

Highest paying states for business managers

Rank	State	Avg. Business Manager Salary
1	Connecticut	$111,128
2	Washington	$114,590
3	Rhode Island	$95,856
4	Alaska	$93,059
5	District of Columbia	$95,787
6	New York	$105,372
7	California	$94,300
8	Wisconsin	$85,635
9	New Jersey	$109,623
10	North Carolina	$79,943
11	Minnesota	$83,532
12	New Hampshire	$82,835
13	Massachusetts	$99,066
14	Virginia	$93,859
15	Delaware	$94,487
16	Pennsylvania	$76,481
17	Maryland	$75,369
18	Oregon	$86,134
19	Michigan	$72,186
20	Illinois	$77,639
21	Vermont	$66,252
22	Ohio	$68,276
23	South Dakota	$78,406
24	Nevada	$66,563
25	Indiana	$69,201
26	North Dakota	$79,334
27	Colorado	$75,423
28	Texas	$70,519
29	Tennessee	$63,866
30	Wyoming	$63,739
31	Alabama	$62,652
32	Maine	$62,370
33	Louisiana	$63,925
34	Montana	$60,401
35	Idaho	$65,996
36	Arizona	$60,392
37	Georgia	$60,486
38	Utah	$47,745
39	South Carolina	$54,611
40	Hawaii	$49,953
41	Arkansas	$42,187
42	Nebraska	$54,922
43	West Virginia	$51,239
44	Iowa	$53,079
45	Kentucky	$49,032
46	Kansas	$50,024
47	New Mexico	$57,053
48	Missouri	$48,828
49	Florida	$54,654
50	Oklahoma	$49,959
51	Mississippi	$49,625

Expert opinions on the best states for business managers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for business managers to find work opportunities?
Michelle Gordon
Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University
The good news is that business is everywhere! Students graduating in business can build solid careers wherever they choose, as opposed to some sectors such as BioTech or Software Development, where jobs tend to be clustered around certain centers of innovation. Realtors are reporting a trend of individuals and families moving out of big cities into less-densely populated areas. This means that business graduates have great geographic flexibility in their job search efforts.

Best states for a business manager

10 best states for business managers in 2026

1. Connecticut

2. Washington

3. Rhode Island

4. Alaska

5. District of Columbia

6. New York

7. California

8. Wisconsin

9. New Jersey

10. North Carolina

Business manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a business manager

Detailed list of the best states for a business manager

Highest paying states for business managers

Expert opinions on the best states for business managers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for business managers to find work opportunities?

Business manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for business managers?

What is the highest paying state for business managers?

What is the worst state for business managers?

Search for business manager jobs

Total business manager jobs:	909
Average annual salary:	$111,128
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$66,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$185,000
Location Quotient:	1.1