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Best states for a design engineering manager
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for design engineering managers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for design engineering manager jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.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 design engineering manager jobs.
We figured that the best places for design engineering 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 design engineering managers, and the West is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for design engineering manager jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.
10 best states for design engineering managers in 2026
1. Washington
Total design engineering manager jobs: 1,784 Average annual salary: $164,116 Lowest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $227,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
2. Oregon
Total design engineering manager jobs: 1,076 Average annual salary: $149,248 Lowest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $209,000 Location Quotient: 1.68
3. California
Total design engineering manager jobs: 6,019 Average annual salary: $163,449 Lowest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $226,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
4. Connecticut
Total design engineering manager jobs: 623 Average annual salary: $153,784 Lowest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $208,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
5. Alaska
Total design engineering manager jobs: 155 Average annual salary: $152,287 Lowest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $203,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
6. Nevada
Total design engineering manager jobs: 265 Average annual salary: $150,256 Lowest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $210,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
7. Utah
Total design engineering manager jobs: 657 Average annual salary: $132,196 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $184,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
8. Virginia
Total design engineering manager jobs: 1,791 Average annual salary: $141,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
9. Idaho
Total design engineering manager jobs: 299 Average annual salary: $132,511 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
10. Missouri
Total design engineering manager jobs: 629 Average annual salary: $147,710 Lowest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $204,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
Design engineering manager jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a design engineering manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a design engineering manager
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $164,116 | $118,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,784 |
| 2 | Oregon | $149,248 | $106,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,076 |
| 3 | California | $163,449 | $117,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,019 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $153,784 | $113,000 | 3,588,184 | 623 |
| 5 | Alaska | $152,287 | $114,000 | 739,795 | 155 |
| 6 | Nevada | $150,256 | $107,000 | 2,998,039 | 265 |
| 7 | Utah | $132,196 | $94,000 | 3,101,833 | 657 |
| 8 | Virginia | $141,723 | $102,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,791 |
| 9 | Idaho | $132,511 | $94,000 | 1,716,943 | 299 |
| 10 | Missouri | $147,710 | $106,000 | 6,113,532 | 629 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $137,528 | $101,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,770 |
| 12 | Arizona | $134,025 | $94,000 | 7,016,270 | 968 |
| 13 | Montana | $133,230 | $96,000 | 1,050,493 | 191 |
| 14 | Texas | $132,662 | $92,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,094 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $132,988 | $98,000 | 1,342,795 | 292 |
| 16 | Maine | $132,622 | $99,000 | 1,335,907 | 203 |
| 17 | New York | $139,597 | $102,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,088 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $133,062 | $97,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,470 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $144,861 | $106,000 | 9,005,644 | 995 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $130,379 | $95,000 | 5,576,606 | 999 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $127,228 | $92,000 | 869,666 | 138 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $130,688 | $93,000 | 6,715,984 | 591 |
| 23 | Michigan | $123,282 | $89,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,243 |
| 24 | Delaware | $124,696 | $90,000 | 961,939 | 227 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $126,695 | $89,000 | 2,984,100 | 221 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $119,665 | $88,000 | 755,393 | 170 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $128,452 | $89,000 | 4,684,333 | 297 |
| 28 | Indiana | $123,318 | $89,000 | 6,666,818 | 777 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $118,286 | $87,000 | 1,059,639 | 243 |
| 30 | Colorado | $120,497 | $86,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,073 |
| 31 | Kansas | $120,301 | $86,000 | 2,913,123 | 399 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $119,887 | $87,000 | 5,795,483 | 772 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $120,817 | $87,000 | 1,920,076 | 286 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $118,333 | $84,000 | 3,004,279 | 337 |
| 35 | Alabama | $117,842 | $83,000 | 4,874,747 | 586 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $116,253 | $84,000 | 693,972 | 352 |
| 37 | Maryland | $120,742 | $87,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,027 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $119,260 | $85,000 | 5,024,369 | 583 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $116,879 | $82,000 | 2,088,070 | 275 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $117,295 | $84,000 | 1,815,857 | 175 |
| 41 | Vermont | $121,867 | $90,000 | 623,657 | 81 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $110,669 | $79,000 | 579,315 | 119 |
| 43 | Iowa | $113,145 | $82,000 | 3,145,711 | 493 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $113,485 | $83,000 | 1,427,538 | 143 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $111,838 | $80,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,400 |
| 46 | Ohio | $112,702 | $81,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,179 |
| 47 | Illinois | $112,300 | $81,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,584 |
| 48 | Florida | $109,252 | $75,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,020 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $111,622 | $79,000 | 3,930,864 | 291 |
| 50 | Georgia | $110,135 | $78,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,272 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $110,022 | $79,000 | 4,454,189 | 382 |
Highest paying states for design engineering managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Design Engineering Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $164,116 |
| 2 | Oregon | $149,248 |
| 3 | California | $163,449 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $153,784 |
| 5 | Alaska | $152,287 |
| 6 | Nevada | $150,256 |
| 7 | Utah | $132,196 |
| 8 | Virginia | $141,723 |
| 9 | Idaho | $132,511 |
| 10 | Missouri | $147,710 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $137,528 |
| 12 | Arizona | $134,025 |
| 13 | Montana | $133,230 |
| 14 | Texas | $132,662 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $132,988 |
| 16 | Maine | $132,622 |
| 17 | New York | $139,597 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $133,062 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $144,861 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $130,379 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $127,228 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $130,688 |
| 23 | Michigan | $123,282 |
| 24 | Delaware | $124,696 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $126,695 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $119,665 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $128,452 |
| 28 | Indiana | $123,318 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $118,286 |
| 30 | Colorado | $120,497 |
| 31 | Kansas | $120,301 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $119,887 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $120,817 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $118,333 |
| 35 | Alabama | $117,842 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $116,253 |
| 37 | Maryland | $120,742 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $119,260 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $116,879 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $117,295 |
| 41 | Vermont | $121,867 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $110,669 |
| 43 | Iowa | $113,145 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $113,485 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $111,838 |
| 46 | Ohio | $112,702 |
| 47 | Illinois | $112,300 |
| 48 | Florida | $109,252 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $111,622 |
| 50 | Georgia | $110,135 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $110,022 |
Design engineering manager best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025