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Best states for a doctoral fellow
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for doctoral fellows? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for doctoral fellow 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 doctoral fellow jobs.
Maine is the best state for jobs for doctoral fellows, and South Carolina is the worst. The most common pay in Maine is $67,807, while the median pay in South Carolina is $37,305.We found that Maine is the best state for doctoral fellow jobs, whereas South Carolina is the worst.
10 best states for doctoral fellows in 2025
1. Maine
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 51 Average annual salary: $67,807 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 0.862. New Jersey
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 677 Average annual salary: $63,142 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 1.93. California
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 2,002 Average annual salary: $67,278 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.524. Tennessee
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 202 Average annual salary: $63,666 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 0.765. Minnesota
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 276 Average annual salary: $57,846 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.926. Connecticut
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 120 Average annual salary: $60,056 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 0.817. Massachusetts
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 1,464 Average annual salary: $55,828 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 3.548. Rhode Island
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 39 Average annual salary: $58,557 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 0.719. Delaware
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 56 Average annual salary: $54,623 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 0.9910. Arizona
Total doctoral fellow jobs: 153 Average annual salary: $57,586 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
Doctoral fellow jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a doctoral fellow
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a doctoral fellow
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $67,807 | $48,000 | 1,335,907 | 51 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $63,142 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 677 |
| 3 | California | $67,278 | $47,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,002 |
| 4 | Tennessee | $63,666 | $44,000 | 6,715,984 | 202 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $57,846 | $41,000 | 5,576,606 | 276 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $60,056 | $41,000 | 3,588,184 | 120 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $55,828 | $39,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,464 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $58,557 | $40,000 | 1,059,639 | 39 |
| 9 | Delaware | $54,623 | $37,000 | 961,939 | 56 |
| 10 | Arizona | $57,586 | $40,000 | 7,016,270 | 153 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $72,630 | $57,000 | 1,427,538 | 16 |
| 12 | Vermont | $53,466 | $37,000 | 623,657 | 28 |
| 13 | Oregon | $52,349 | $37,000 | 4,142,776 | 247 |
| 14 | Indiana | $55,165 | $38,000 | 6,666,818 | 137 |
| 15 | Nevada | $57,066 | $39,000 | 2,998,039 | 25 |
| 16 | New York | $52,069 | $36,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,257 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $52,608 | $37,000 | 579,315 | 17 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $51,769 | $35,000 | 12,805,537 | 413 |
| 19 | Maryland | $52,727 | $36,000 | 6,052,177 | 399 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $54,119 | $38,000 | 1,342,795 | 44 |
| 21 | Colorado | $51,111 | $36,000 | 5,607,154 | 316 |
| 22 | Illinois | $52,103 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 394 |
| 23 | Alaska | $52,270 | $41,000 | 739,795 | 27 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $51,697 | $36,000 | 5,795,483 | 157 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $52,750 | $37,000 | 3,930,864 | 53 |
| 26 | Washington | $50,051 | $35,000 | 7,405,743 | 598 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $48,723 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 141 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $47,451 | $32,000 | 10,273,419 | 319 |
| 29 | Michigan | $48,957 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 180 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $46,026 | $32,000 | 1,920,076 | 79 |
| 31 | Montana | $47,090 | $34,000 | 1,050,493 | 37 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $48,414 | $33,000 | 3,004,279 | 24 |
| 33 | Iowa | $45,724 | $32,000 | 3,145,711 | 110 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $43,534 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 115 |
| 35 | Virginia | $45,841 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 314 |
| 36 | Ohio | $45,414 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 236 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $45,651 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 77 |
| 38 | Idaho | $45,777 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 42 |
| 39 | Kansas | $43,993 | $31,000 | 2,913,123 | 80 |
| 40 | Florida | $45,746 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 323 |
| 41 | Missouri | $40,263 | $28,000 | 6,113,532 | 241 |
| 42 | Texas | $42,741 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 591 |
| 43 | Georgia | $40,967 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 344 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $37,426 | $26,000 | 1,815,857 | 55 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $42,447 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 21 |
| 46 | Alabama | $42,373 | $29,000 | 4,874,747 | 66 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $39,513 | $27,000 | 4,684,333 | 85 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $38,559 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 24 |
| 49 | Utah | $40,055 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 67 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $38,836 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 38 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $37,305 | $25,000 | 5,024,369 | 62 |
Highest paying states for doctoral fellows
| Rank | State | Avg. Doctoral Fellow Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $67,807 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $63,142 |
| 3 | California | $67,278 |
| 4 | Tennessee | $63,666 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $57,846 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $60,056 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $55,828 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $58,557 |
| 9 | Delaware | $54,623 |
| 10 | Arizona | $57,586 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $72,630 |
| 12 | Vermont | $53,466 |
| 13 | Oregon | $52,349 |
| 14 | Indiana | $55,165 |
| 15 | Nevada | $57,066 |
| 16 | New York | $52,069 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $52,608 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $51,769 |
| 19 | Maryland | $52,727 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $54,119 |
| 21 | Colorado | $51,111 |
| 22 | Illinois | $52,103 |
| 23 | Alaska | $52,270 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $51,697 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $52,750 |
| 26 | Washington | $50,051 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $48,723 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $47,451 |
| 29 | Michigan | $48,957 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $46,026 |
| 31 | Montana | $47,090 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $48,414 |
| 33 | Iowa | $45,724 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $43,534 |
| 35 | Virginia | $45,841 |
| 36 | Ohio | $45,414 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $45,651 |
| 38 | Idaho | $45,777 |
| 39 | Kansas | $43,993 |
| 40 | Florida | $45,746 |
| 41 | Missouri | $40,263 |
| 42 | Texas | $42,741 |
| 43 | Georgia | $40,967 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $37,426 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $42,447 |
| 46 | Alabama | $42,373 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $39,513 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $38,559 |
| 49 | Utah | $40,055 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $38,836 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $37,305 |
Expert opinions on the best states for doctoral fellows
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for doctoral fellows to find work opportunities?
Don Snyder
Associate Director, Industry Advising: STEM, William and Mary
Strong tech markets in the U.S. include Austin, Raleigh, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Columbus. Some markets are established in tech, while other markets are more up-and-coming. Smaller cities that may be "off the radar" include Huntsville and Tucson. Graduates need to look at different factors when exploring cities, including the cost of living. The dollar will go a lot further in Raleigh than in San Francisco. And some cities that were once more affordable may have a higher cost of living now due to the recent influx of residents.
Doctoral fellow best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025