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Best states for a career specialist
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Claire Brown
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Are you thinking of becoming a career specialist and really want to work at SoftRock? Turns out, your chances to become a career specialist are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that Nebraska is the best state for career specialists in America. The best city in America for career specialists with the highest pay is Santa Cruz, CA.
The median salary for career specialists in Nebraska is $50,727. Compare that to the median salary in West Virginia of $29,696, which ranked worst for career specialists, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a career specialist, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for career specialists in 2025
1. Nebraska
Total career specialist jobs: 190 Average annual salary: $50,727 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
2. District of Columbia
Total career specialist jobs: 173 Average annual salary: $55,828 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
3. Montana
Total career specialist jobs: 88 Average annual salary: $47,969 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
4. Connecticut
Total career specialist jobs: 196 Average annual salary: $54,652 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
5. Kansas
Total career specialist jobs: 182 Average annual salary: $51,335 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
6. California
Total career specialist jobs: 1,748 Average annual salary: $56,695 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
7. New Jersey
Total career specialist jobs: 454 Average annual salary: $55,390 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
8. Delaware
Total career specialist jobs: 126 Average annual salary: $46,271 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
9. New York
Total career specialist jobs: 933 Average annual salary: $50,022 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
10. Wyoming
Total career specialist jobs: 68 Average annual salary: $43,386 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.76
Career specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a career specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a career specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $50,727 | $36,000 | 1,920,076 | 190 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $55,828 | $38,000 | 693,972 | 173 |
| 3 | Montana | $47,969 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 88 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $54,652 | $39,000 | 3,588,184 | 196 |
| 5 | Kansas | $51,335 | $36,000 | 2,913,123 | 182 |
| 6 | California | $56,695 | $37,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,748 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $55,390 | $38,000 | 9,005,644 | 454 |
| 8 | Delaware | $46,271 | $32,000 | 961,939 | 126 |
| 9 | New York | $50,022 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 933 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $43,386 | $31,000 | 579,315 | 68 |
| 11 | Washington | $49,429 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 443 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $45,722 | $33,000 | 1,059,639 | 85 |
| 13 | Michigan | $47,448 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 438 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $44,708 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 673 |
| 15 | Iowa | $42,769 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 298 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $48,101 | $36,000 | 5,576,606 | 377 |
| 17 | Arizona | $44,530 | $30,000 | 7,016,270 | 439 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $43,727 | $32,000 | 869,666 | 74 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $45,075 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 128 |
| 20 | Maryland | $45,890 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 472 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $44,943 | $30,000 | 4,684,333 | 199 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $46,507 | $31,000 | 2,984,100 | 98 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $45,089 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 112 |
| 24 | Colorado | $47,078 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 359 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $44,926 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 96 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $44,018 | $30,000 | 6,715,984 | 342 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $41,028 | $31,000 | 755,393 | 75 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $43,939 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 186 |
| 29 | Virginia | $42,773 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 743 |
| 30 | Maine | $41,946 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 88 |
| 31 | Texas | $41,858 | $27,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,371 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | $41,858 | $31,000 | 6,859,819 | 596 |
| 33 | Illinois | $43,396 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 679 |
| 34 | Alaska | $37,260 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 72 |
| 35 | Missouri | $42,654 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 329 |
| 36 | Nevada | $38,008 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 170 |
| 37 | Oregon | $40,626 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 292 |
| 38 | Alabama | $41,570 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 227 |
| 39 | Utah | $39,685 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 222 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $40,688 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 323 |
| 41 | Ohio | $41,092 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 551 |
| 42 | Georgia | $41,700 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 595 |
| 43 | Vermont | $36,234 | $28,000 | 623,657 | 70 |
| 44 | Florida | $37,812 | $24,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,142 |
| 45 | Indiana | $39,572 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 396 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $37,116 | $25,000 | 12,805,537 | 748 |
| 47 | Idaho | $35,576 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 115 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,341 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 186 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $31,881 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 179 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $35,952 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 201 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $29,696 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 88 |
Highest paying states for career specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Career Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $50,727 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $55,828 |
| 3 | Montana | $47,969 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $54,652 |
| 5 | Kansas | $51,335 |
| 6 | California | $56,695 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $55,390 |
| 8 | Delaware | $46,271 |
| 9 | New York | $50,022 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $43,386 |
| 11 | Washington | $49,429 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $45,722 |
| 13 | Michigan | $47,448 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $44,708 |
| 15 | Iowa | $42,769 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $48,101 |
| 17 | Arizona | $44,530 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $43,727 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $45,075 |
| 20 | Maryland | $45,890 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $44,943 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $46,507 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $45,089 |
| 24 | Colorado | $47,078 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $44,926 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $44,018 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $41,028 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $43,939 |
| 29 | Virginia | $42,773 |
| 30 | Maine | $41,946 |
| 31 | Texas | $41,858 |
| 32 | Massachusetts | $41,858 |
| 33 | Illinois | $43,396 |
| 34 | Alaska | $37,260 |
| 35 | Missouri | $42,654 |
| 36 | Nevada | $38,008 |
| 37 | Oregon | $40,626 |
| 38 | Alabama | $41,570 |
| 39 | Utah | $39,685 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $40,688 |
| 41 | Ohio | $41,092 |
| 42 | Georgia | $41,700 |
| 43 | Vermont | $36,234 |
| 44 | Florida | $37,812 |
| 45 | Indiana | $39,572 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $37,116 |
| 47 | Idaho | $35,576 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,341 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $31,881 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $35,952 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $29,696 |
Expert opinions on the best states for career specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for career specialists to find work opportunities?
Claire Brown
Assistant Director of Student Support Services and Head of Career Services, Rutgers School of Public Health
For graduates in any field, it's important to stay on top of which organizations and companies are hiring during the pandemic-with many employers reducing or pausing hiring altogether, the key to an efficient job search is knowing the scope of your options. It also helps to tap into your networks-former supervisors and colleagues-to see where your public health skill set might be needed now and where you can stand out. For public health specifically, the CARES Act has allocated billions in funding towards public health staffing and capacity-building for the short- and long-term across a variety of federal, state, and local agencies. While it's hard to say what specific positions will be available or when some of this longer-term funding will actualize, there's reason to hope that public health workforce opportunities will increase over the next few years in areas such as emergency/disaster management, public health informatics and data, telehealth and school-based health programs, and mental health and substance use services.
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Updated January 8, 2025