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Best states for a compensation specialist
Quoted expert
Donna Kukarola
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Compensation specialist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for compensation specialists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for compensation specialists.Our research shows that Vermont is the best state in the country for compensation specialists.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for compensation specialists. Vermont is the best state for compensation specialists, where the median salary is $85,618.Vermont is the best state, and Longview is the city with the highest pay for compensation specialists.
10 best states for compensation specialists in 2026
1. Vermont
Total compensation specialist jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $85,618 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
2. Oregon
Total compensation specialist jobs: 248 Average annual salary: $83,030 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
3. New York
Total compensation specialist jobs: 776 Average annual salary: $80,982 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
4. Rhode Island
Total compensation specialist jobs: 68 Average annual salary: $79,843 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
5. Washington
Total compensation specialist jobs: 335 Average annual salary: $95,737 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
6. District of Columbia
Total compensation specialist jobs: 146 Average annual salary: $75,797 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
7. Idaho
Total compensation specialist jobs: 93 Average annual salary: $75,743 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
8. Massachusetts
Total compensation specialist jobs: 501 Average annual salary: $80,410 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location Quotient: 1
9. California
Total compensation specialist jobs: 1,373 Average annual salary: $92,463 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
10. New Jersey
Total compensation specialist jobs: 363 Average annual salary: $90,531 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
Compensation specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a compensation specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a compensation specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $85,618 | $49,000 | 623,657 | 53 |
| 2 | Oregon | $83,030 | $51,000 | 4,142,776 | 248 |
| 3 | New York | $80,982 | $46,000 | 19,849,399 | 776 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $79,843 | $46,000 | 1,059,639 | 68 |
| 5 | Washington | $95,737 | $59,000 | 7,405,743 | 335 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $75,797 | $41,000 | 693,972 | 146 |
| 7 | Idaho | $75,743 | $46,000 | 1,716,943 | 93 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $80,410 | $46,000 | 6,859,819 | 501 |
| 9 | California | $92,463 | $55,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,373 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $90,531 | $51,000 | 9,005,644 | 363 |
| 11 | Nevada | $71,878 | $43,000 | 2,998,039 | 127 |
| 12 | Delaware | $70,812 | $39,000 | 961,939 | 78 |
| 13 | Alaska | $72,396 | $57,000 | 739,795 | 66 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $75,564 | $43,000 | 1,342,795 | 86 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $71,110 | $39,000 | 12,805,537 | 629 |
| 16 | Iowa | $62,545 | $37,000 | 3,145,711 | 262 |
| 17 | Michigan | $69,355 | $39,000 | 9,962,311 | 411 |
| 18 | Maine | $69,706 | $39,000 | 1,335,907 | 69 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $70,043 | $43,000 | 5,576,606 | 339 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $63,194 | $41,000 | 755,393 | 54 |
| 21 | Maryland | $69,930 | $38,000 | 6,052,177 | 352 |
| 22 | Illinois | $71,280 | $41,000 | 12,802,023 | 583 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $57,058 | $35,000 | 579,315 | 51 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $73,989 | $42,000 | 3,588,184 | 141 |
| 25 | Virginia | $66,672 | $35,000 | 8,470,020 | 513 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $57,721 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 611 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $56,071 | $32,000 | 3,930,864 | 191 |
| 28 | Texas | $60,111 | $33,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,123 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $60,895 | $33,000 | 2,984,100 | 113 |
| 30 | Utah | $56,321 | $34,000 | 3,101,833 | 190 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $53,961 | $34,000 | 869,666 | 67 |
| 32 | Arizona | $56,460 | $32,000 | 7,016,270 | 354 |
| 33 | Colorado | $63,151 | $38,000 | 5,607,154 | 299 |
| 34 | Kansas | $55,059 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 171 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $54,892 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 115 |
| 36 | Ohio | $55,805 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 480 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $52,512 | $29,000 | 3,004,279 | 149 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $42,120 | $32,000 | 1,427,538 | 83 |
| 39 | Georgia | $52,893 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 583 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $49,093 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 146 |
| 41 | Montana | $45,562 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 84 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $49,310 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 343 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $51,190 | $28,000 | 1,815,857 | 78 |
| 44 | Missouri | $53,871 | $31,000 | 6,113,532 | 293 |
| 45 | Indiana | $52,796 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 306 |
| 46 | Florida | $36,881 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 968 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $49,845 | $27,000 | 4,684,333 | 173 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $52,273 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 251 |
| 49 | Alabama | $47,073 | $25,000 | 4,874,747 | 236 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $49,456 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 169 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $35,721 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 205 |
Highest paying states for compensation specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Compensation Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $85,618 |
| 2 | Oregon | $83,030 |
| 3 | New York | $80,982 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $79,843 |
| 5 | Washington | $95,737 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $75,797 |
| 7 | Idaho | $75,743 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $80,410 |
| 9 | California | $92,463 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $90,531 |
| 11 | Nevada | $71,878 |
| 12 | Delaware | $70,812 |
| 13 | Alaska | $72,396 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $75,564 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $71,110 |
| 16 | Iowa | $62,545 |
| 17 | Michigan | $69,355 |
| 18 | Maine | $69,706 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $70,043 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $63,194 |
| 21 | Maryland | $69,930 |
| 22 | Illinois | $71,280 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $57,058 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $73,989 |
| 25 | Virginia | $66,672 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $57,721 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $56,071 |
| 28 | Texas | $60,111 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $60,895 |
| 30 | Utah | $56,321 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $53,961 |
| 32 | Arizona | $56,460 |
| 33 | Colorado | $63,151 |
| 34 | Kansas | $55,059 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $54,892 |
| 36 | Ohio | $55,805 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $52,512 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $42,120 |
| 39 | Georgia | $52,893 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $49,093 |
| 41 | Montana | $45,562 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $49,310 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $51,190 |
| 44 | Missouri | $53,871 |
| 45 | Indiana | $52,796 |
| 46 | Florida | $36,881 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $49,845 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $52,273 |
| 49 | Alabama | $47,073 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $49,456 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $35,721 |
Expert opinions on the best states for compensation specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for compensation specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola
Procurement Director, Forsyth County, Georgia
This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.
Compensation specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025