Best states for a community organizer

Q: What is the best state for community organizers?

The best state to be a community organizer is New York based on community organizer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for community organizers?

The highest paying state for community organizers is Kansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for community organizers?

The worst state for community organizers is Iowa, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Euan Hague Ph.D.

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It seems like community organizers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for community organizers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant community organizer jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the Midwest. New York is the best state in the country for community organizer jobs.

New York is the best state for jobs for community organizers, and Iowa is the worst. The most common pay in New York is $59,595, while the median pay in Iowa is $33,546.If you are currently seeking employment as a community organizer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for community organizers in 2025

1. New York
Total community organizer jobs: 540
Average annual salary: $59,595
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000
Location Quotient:
1.49
Community organizer jobs in New York
2. New Jersey
Total community organizer jobs: 206
Average annual salary: $65,229
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000
Location Quotient:
0.92
Community organizer jobs in New Jersey
3. Alaska
Total community organizer jobs: 58
Average annual salary: $56,963
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
2.45
Community organizer jobs in Alaska
4. Connecticut
Total community organizer jobs: 139
Average annual salary: $55,430
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
1.48
Community organizer jobs in Connecticut
5. Massachusetts
Total community organizer jobs: 441
Average annual salary: $54,847
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
1.69
Community organizer jobs in Massachusetts
6. West Virginia
Total community organizer jobs: 41
Average annual salary: $56,092
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Community organizer jobs in West Virginia
7. Rhode Island
Total community organizer jobs: 37
Average annual salary: $54,348
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Community organizer jobs in Rhode Island
8. District of Columbia
Total community organizer jobs: 139
Average annual salary: $57,102
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Location Quotient:
2.92
Community organizer jobs in District of Columbia
9. Michigan
Total community organizer jobs: 188
Average annual salary: $62,539
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Community organizer jobs in Michigan
10. New Hampshire
Total community organizer jobs: 52
Average annual salary: $53,918
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Community organizer jobs in New Hampshire

Community organizer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a community organizer

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

Detailed list of the best states for a community organizer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$59,595	$39,000	19,849,399	540
2	New Jersey	$65,229	$43,000	9,005,644	206
3	Alaska	$56,963	$48,000	739,795	58
4	Connecticut	$55,430	$37,000	3,588,184	139
5	Massachusetts	$54,847	$37,000	6,859,819	441
6	West Virginia	$56,092	$37,000	1,815,857	41
7	Rhode Island	$54,348	$36,000	1,059,639	37
8	District of Columbia	$57,102	$37,000	693,972	139
9	Michigan	$62,539	$41,000	9,962,311	188
10	New Hampshire	$53,918	$36,000	1,342,795	52
11	Vermont	$52,074	$36,000	623,657	36
12	Maine	$50,332	$35,000	1,335,907	50
13	California	$58,476	$39,000	39,536,653	755
14	North Dakota	$54,233	$38,000	755,393	23
15	Maryland	$52,641	$34,000	6,052,177	281
16	Washington	$50,814	$35,000	7,405,743	302
17	Montana	$51,121	$36,000	1,050,493	30
18	North Carolina	$51,932	$34,000	10,273,419	241
19	Delaware	$52,844	$34,000	961,939	33
20	Arkansas	$49,227	$34,000	3,004,279	66
21	Pennsylvania	$47,622	$31,000	12,805,537	310
22	Wyoming	$49,938	$35,000	579,315	14
23	South Carolina	$45,828	$30,000	5,024,369	142
24	Oregon	$47,343	$33,000	4,142,776	131
25	Hawaii	$49,104	$38,000	1,427,538	30
26	South Dakota	$48,180	$33,000	869,666	22
27	Wisconsin	$43,121	$29,000	5,795,483	164
28	Minnesota	$43,564	$30,000	5,576,606	204
29	Virginia	$47,926	$31,000	8,470,020	230
30	Colorado	$43,591	$30,000	5,607,154	196
31	Indiana	$44,058	$29,000	6,666,818	168
32	Louisiana	$45,947	$30,000	4,684,333	73
33	Idaho	$46,987	$32,000	1,716,943	22
34	New Mexico	$42,357	$29,000	2,088,070	53
35	Arizona	$42,153	$29,000	7,016,270	161
36	Florida	$42,550	$28,000	20,984,400	390
37	Nebraska	$39,293	$27,000	1,920,076	59
38	Mississippi	$42,598	$28,000	2,984,100	39
39	Missouri	$38,634	$26,000	6,113,532	160
40	Tennessee	$40,859	$27,000	6,715,984	133
41	Illinois	$35,682	$24,000	12,802,023	346
42	Utah	$35,027	$24,000	3,101,833	88
43	Nevada	$37,805	$25,000	2,998,039	52
44	Ohio	$36,981	$24,000	11,658,609	219
45	Georgia	$39,477	$26,000	10,429,379	212
46	Texas	$35,839	$24,000	28,304,596	474
47	Kansas	$30,731	$21,000	2,913,123	82
48	Alabama	$36,091	$24,000	4,874,747	56
49	Oklahoma	$34,733	$24,000	3,930,864	66
50	Kentucky	$32,440	$21,000	4,454,189	77
51	Iowa	$33,546	$23,000	3,145,711	66

Highest paying states for community organizers

Rank	State	Avg. Community Organizer Salary
1	New York	$59,595
2	New Jersey	$65,229
3	Alaska	$56,963
4	Connecticut	$55,430
5	Massachusetts	$54,847
6	West Virginia	$56,092
7	Rhode Island	$54,348
8	District of Columbia	$57,102
9	Michigan	$62,539
10	New Hampshire	$53,918
11	Vermont	$52,074
12	Maine	$50,332
13	California	$58,476
14	North Dakota	$54,233
15	Maryland	$52,641
16	Washington	$50,814
17	Montana	$51,121
18	North Carolina	$51,932
19	Delaware	$52,844
20	Arkansas	$49,227
21	Pennsylvania	$47,622
22	Wyoming	$49,938
23	South Carolina	$45,828
24	Oregon	$47,343
25	Hawaii	$49,104
26	South Dakota	$48,180
27	Wisconsin	$43,121
28	Minnesota	$43,564
29	Virginia	$47,926
30	Colorado	$43,591
31	Indiana	$44,058
32	Louisiana	$45,947
33	Idaho	$46,987
34	New Mexico	$42,357
35	Arizona	$42,153
36	Florida	$42,550
37	Nebraska	$39,293
38	Mississippi	$42,598
39	Missouri	$38,634
40	Tennessee	$40,859
41	Illinois	$35,682
42	Utah	$35,027
43	Nevada	$37,805
44	Ohio	$36,981
45	Georgia	$39,477
46	Texas	$35,839
47	Kansas	$30,731
48	Alabama	$36,091
49	Oklahoma	$34,733
50	Kentucky	$32,440
51	Iowa	$33,546

Expert opinions on the best states for community organizers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for community organizers to find work opportunities?
Euan Hague Ph.D.
Director, DePaul University
Public administration occurs all over the United States. Here in the Chicagoland area we have around 150 municipalities, and each has a city planner, a community development officer, a city manager or clerk, and so on. One thing about public sector jobs is that they tend to be pretty stable and secure with benefits. It's a great career to consider entering in this difficult job market.

Community organizer best states FAQs

What is the best state for community organizers?

What is the highest paying state for community organizers?

What is the worst state for community organizers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

Search for community organizer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

Total community organizer jobs:	540
Average annual salary:	$59,595
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$39,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$89,000
Location Quotient:	1.49

Best states for a community organizer

10 best states for community organizers in 2025

1. New York

2. New Jersey

3. Alaska

4. Connecticut

5. Massachusetts

6. West Virginia

7. Rhode Island

8. District of Columbia

9. Michigan

10. New Hampshire