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Best states for a data specialist
Quoted expert
Mark Gibson
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Data specialist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for data specialists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for data specialists.Our research found that Connecticut is the best state for data specialists, while Connecticut and Massachusetts are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Connecticut has a median salary of $90,019 and Connecticut has the highest median salary among all 50 states for data specialists.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for data specialists. Connecticut is the best state for data specialists, where the median salary is $90,019.We found that Connecticut is the best state for data specialist jobs, whereas New Mexico is the worst.
10 best states for data specialists in 2025
1. Connecticut
Total data specialist jobs: 608 Average annual salary: $90,019 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
2. Massachusetts
Total data specialist jobs: 1,732 Average annual salary: $85,852 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
3. New York
Total data specialist jobs: 2,604 Average annual salary: $83,641 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
4. New Jersey
Total data specialist jobs: 1,338 Average annual salary: $83,206 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
5. Pennsylvania
Total data specialist jobs: 1,783 Average annual salary: $79,139 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
6. Texas
Total data specialist jobs: 3,241 Average annual salary: $77,059 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
7. Alaska
Total data specialist jobs: 155 Average annual salary: $75,579 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
8. Illinois
Total data specialist jobs: 1,925 Average annual salary: $76,593 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
9. Michigan
Total data specialist jobs: 981 Average annual salary: $79,186 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
10. Maryland
Total data specialist jobs: 1,145 Average annual salary: $75,928 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
Data specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a data specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a data specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $90,019 | $56,000 | 3,588,184 | 608 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $85,852 | $54,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,732 |
| 3 | New York | $83,641 | $52,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,604 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $83,206 | $52,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,338 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $79,139 | $49,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,783 |
| 6 | Texas | $77,059 | $46,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,241 |
| 7 | Alaska | $75,579 | $51,000 | 739,795 | 155 |
| 8 | Illinois | $76,593 | $45,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,925 |
| 9 | Michigan | $79,186 | $47,000 | 9,962,311 | 981 |
| 10 | Maryland | $75,928 | $46,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,145 |
| 11 | Georgia | $74,392 | $45,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,478 |
| 12 | Delaware | $78,738 | $49,000 | 961,939 | 132 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $79,747 | $50,000 | 1,059,639 | 94 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | $75,052 | $45,000 | 3,930,864 | 329 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $67,878 | $41,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,612 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $65,907 | $39,000 | 755,393 | 159 |
| 17 | Vermont | $77,548 | $48,000 | 623,657 | 70 |
| 18 | Montana | $66,397 | $38,000 | 1,050,493 | 190 |
| 19 | California | $80,343 | $47,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,852 |
| 20 | Maine | $69,428 | $44,000 | 1,335,907 | 185 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $70,272 | $42,000 | 4,684,333 | 400 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $72,412 | $44,000 | 693,972 | 274 |
| 23 | Arizona | $65,438 | $39,000 | 7,016,270 | 959 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $66,938 | $40,000 | 6,715,984 | 696 |
| 25 | Ohio | $66,455 | $39,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,257 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $64,767 | $39,000 | 1,815,857 | 204 |
| 27 | Florida | $66,122 | $41,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,214 |
| 28 | Washington | $71,961 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 493 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $65,097 | $49,000 | 1,427,538 | 204 |
| 30 | Utah | $61,309 | $35,000 | 3,101,833 | 543 |
| 31 | Iowa | $61,804 | $36,000 | 3,145,711 | 562 |
| 32 | Oregon | $69,909 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 326 |
| 33 | Virginia | $70,324 | $43,000 | 8,470,020 | 821 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $63,475 | $38,000 | 4,454,189 | 450 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $62,791 | $39,000 | 1,342,795 | 267 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $63,927 | $38,000 | 2,984,100 | 204 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $62,983 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 963 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $61,570 | $37,000 | 3,004,279 | 347 |
| 39 | Nevada | $59,824 | $35,000 | 2,998,039 | 314 |
| 40 | Colorado | $60,465 | $35,000 | 5,607,154 | 896 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $56,049 | $33,000 | 869,666 | 169 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $62,027 | $38,000 | 5,024,369 | 422 |
| 43 | Idaho | $56,697 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 251 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $59,655 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 61 |
| 45 | Alabama | $58,718 | $35,000 | 4,874,747 | 463 |
| 46 | Kansas | $56,881 | $34,000 | 2,913,123 | 401 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $52,374 | $31,000 | 1,920,076 | 343 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $57,667 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 631 |
| 49 | Indiana | $56,564 | $33,000 | 6,666,818 | 799 |
| 50 | Missouri | $54,323 | $32,000 | 6,113,532 | 803 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $53,022 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 270 |
Highest paying states for data specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Data Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $90,019 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $85,852 |
| 3 | New York | $83,641 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $83,206 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $79,139 |
| 6 | Texas | $77,059 |
| 7 | Alaska | $75,579 |
| 8 | Illinois | $76,593 |
| 9 | Michigan | $79,186 |
| 10 | Maryland | $75,928 |
| 11 | Georgia | $74,392 |
| 12 | Delaware | $78,738 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $79,747 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | $75,052 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $67,878 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $65,907 |
| 17 | Vermont | $77,548 |
| 18 | Montana | $66,397 |
| 19 | California | $80,343 |
| 20 | Maine | $69,428 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $70,272 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $72,412 |
| 23 | Arizona | $65,438 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $66,938 |
| 25 | Ohio | $66,455 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $64,767 |
| 27 | Florida | $66,122 |
| 28 | Washington | $71,961 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $65,097 |
| 30 | Utah | $61,309 |
| 31 | Iowa | $61,804 |
| 32 | Oregon | $69,909 |
| 33 | Virginia | $70,324 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $63,475 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $62,791 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $63,927 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $62,983 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $61,570 |
| 39 | Nevada | $59,824 |
| 40 | Colorado | $60,465 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $56,049 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $62,027 |
| 43 | Idaho | $56,697 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $59,655 |
| 45 | Alabama | $58,718 |
| 46 | Kansas | $56,881 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $52,374 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $57,667 |
| 49 | Indiana | $56,564 |
| 50 | Missouri | $54,323 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $53,022 |
Expert opinions on the best states for data specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for data specialists to find work opportunities?
Mark Gibson
Clinical Associate Professor, Washington State University
Economics isn't meant to prepare graduates for a particular field after graduation. Rather, it imparts a set of analytical and quantitative skills, that are highly valued, in a number of fields, including finance, banking, data analytics, government policy, and law.
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Updated January 8, 2025