Best states for an engineering scientist

Q: What is the best state for engineering scientists?

The best state to be an engineering scientist is Rhode Island based on engineering scientist salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for engineering scientists?

The highest paying state for engineering scientists is Wisconsin based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for engineering scientists?

The worst state for engineering scientists is Tennessee, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Bruce Carroll Ph.D.

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It seems like engineering scientists are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for engineering scientists aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. We wanted to look at the best states for engineering scientists -- where there are plenty of engineering scientist jobs to go around and engineering scientists get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

We figured that the best places for engineering scientist 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 engineering scientists, and the West is the worst. South San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for engineering scientist jobs, where as Rhode Island is the best state in the country.

10 best states for engineering scientists in 2025

1. Rhode Island
Total engineering scientist jobs: 208
Average annual salary: $105,984
Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Engineering scientist jobs in Rhode Island
2. Arizona
Total engineering scientist jobs: 820
Average annual salary: $107,325
Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Engineering scientist jobs in Arizona
3. Idaho
Total engineering scientist jobs: 320
Average annual salary: $97,773
Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000
Location Quotient:
1.47
Engineering scientist jobs in Idaho
4. Washington
Total engineering scientist jobs: 1,192
Average annual salary: $105,025
Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Engineering scientist jobs in Washington
5. Massachusetts
Total engineering scientist jobs: 1,333
Average annual salary: $103,657
Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Engineering scientist jobs in Massachusetts
6. Utah
Total engineering scientist jobs: 590
Average annual salary: $93,628
Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000
Location Quotient:
1.4
Engineering scientist jobs in Utah
7. New Jersey
Total engineering scientist jobs: 1,353
Average annual salary: $99,837
Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Engineering scientist jobs in New Jersey
8. Minnesota
Total engineering scientist jobs: 903
Average annual salary: $99,517
Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Engineering scientist jobs in Minnesota
9. Maryland
Total engineering scientist jobs: 1,485
Average annual salary: $95,827
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000
Location Quotient:
1.77
Engineering scientist jobs in Maryland
10. Connecticut
Total engineering scientist jobs: 654
Average annual salary: $95,595
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
1.49
Engineering scientist jobs in Connecticut

Engineering scientist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be an engineering scientist

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

Detailed list of the best states for an engineering scientist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Rhode Island	$105,984	$76,000	1,059,639	208
2	Arizona	$107,325	$74,000	7,016,270	820
3	Idaho	$97,773	$67,000	1,716,943	320
4	Washington	$105,025	$72,000	7,405,743	1,192
5	Massachusetts	$103,657	$75,000	6,859,819	1,333
6	Utah	$93,628	$64,000	3,101,833	590
7	New Jersey	$99,837	$71,000	9,005,644	1,353
8	Minnesota	$99,517	$71,000	5,576,606	903
9	Maryland	$95,827	$68,000	6,052,177	1,485
10	Connecticut	$95,595	$68,000	3,588,184	654
11	Colorado	$96,793	$67,000	5,607,154	1,071
12	Ohio	$101,135	$72,000	11,658,609	999
13	North Dakota	$87,431	$63,000	755,393	189
14	Maine	$91,300	$67,000	1,335,907	231
15	Hawaii	$102,483	$80,000	1,427,538	165
16	Wyoming	$87,165	$60,000	579,315	132
17	Montana	$91,000	$63,000	1,050,493	213
18	New Mexico	$91,442	$63,000	2,088,070	319
19	Nevada	$96,360	$65,000	2,998,039	243
20	District of Columbia	$101,110	$71,000	693,972	241
21	West Virginia	$88,319	$63,000	1,815,857	194
22	Vermont	$95,010	$69,000	623,657	86
23	South Dakota	$84,328	$60,000	869,666	192
24	Alaska	$86,154	$68,000	739,795	166
25	California	$101,899	$69,000	39,536,653	1,519
26	Delaware	$84,939	$60,000	961,939	277
27	Michigan	$86,754	$62,000	9,962,311	1,059
28	New Hampshire	$82,838	$60,000	1,342,795	293
29	New York	$86,938	$62,000	19,849,399	2,148
30	Louisiana	$87,650	$60,000	4,684,333	333
31	Virginia	$83,319	$59,000	8,470,020	1,937
32	Pennsylvania	$82,666	$58,000	12,805,537	1,507
33	Illinois	$83,488	$59,000	12,802,023	1,766
34	Texas	$84,520	$58,000	28,304,596	2,403
35	Oregon	$89,013	$61,000	4,142,776	361
36	Alabama	$83,241	$58,000	4,874,747	522
37	South Carolina	$79,873	$57,000	5,024,369	539
38	Indiana	$75,336	$54,000	6,666,818	827
39	Missouri	$76,225	$54,000	6,113,532	771
40	Georgia	$79,846	$56,000	10,429,379	1,171
41	North Carolina	$73,078	$52,000	10,273,419	1,594
42	Mississippi	$76,355	$53,000	2,984,100	214
43	Florida	$77,981	$54,000	20,984,400	1,798
44	Nebraska	$73,455	$52,000	1,920,076	274
45	Kentucky	$73,984	$53,000	4,454,189	380
46	Kansas	$70,120	$50,000	2,913,123	418
47	Wisconsin	$60,402	$43,000	5,795,483	788
48	Arkansas	$69,442	$49,000	3,004,279	322
49	Iowa	$68,887	$49,000	3,145,711	449
50	Oklahoma	$72,048	$50,000	3,930,864	226
51	Tennessee	$69,127	$49,000	6,715,984	551

Highest paying states for engineering scientists

Rank	State	Avg. Engineering Scientist Salary
1	Rhode Island	$105,984
2	Arizona	$107,325
3	Idaho	$97,773
4	Washington	$105,025
5	Massachusetts	$103,657
6	Utah	$93,628
7	New Jersey	$99,837
8	Minnesota	$99,517
9	Maryland	$95,827
10	Connecticut	$95,595
11	Colorado	$96,793
12	Ohio	$101,135
13	North Dakota	$87,431
14	Maine	$91,300
15	Hawaii	$102,483
16	Wyoming	$87,165
17	Montana	$91,000
18	New Mexico	$91,442
19	Nevada	$96,360
20	District of Columbia	$101,110
21	West Virginia	$88,319
22	Vermont	$95,010
23	South Dakota	$84,328
24	Alaska	$86,154
25	California	$101,899
26	Delaware	$84,939
27	Michigan	$86,754
28	New Hampshire	$82,838
29	New York	$86,938
30	Louisiana	$87,650
31	Virginia	$83,319
32	Pennsylvania	$82,666
33	Illinois	$83,488
34	Texas	$84,520
35	Oregon	$89,013
36	Alabama	$83,241
37	South Carolina	$79,873
38	Indiana	$75,336
39	Missouri	$76,225
40	Georgia	$79,846
41	North Carolina	$73,078
42	Mississippi	$76,355
43	Florida	$77,981
44	Nebraska	$73,455
45	Kentucky	$73,984
46	Kansas	$70,120
47	Wisconsin	$60,402
48	Arkansas	$69,442
49	Iowa	$68,887
50	Oklahoma	$72,048
51	Tennessee	$69,127

Expert opinions on the best states for engineering scientists

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for engineering scientists to find work opportunities?
Bruce Carroll Ph.D.
Undergraduate Coordinator and Associate Professor, University of Florida
Aerospace jobs are available all across the US. Some pockets are well known, e.g. the locations of the large aerospace companies. There are also many startup companies in fields related to unmanned vehicles, drones, and personal urban aircraft. Companies in Florida and Georgia have been actively hiring graduates from our programs in recent years, and I think this will continue.

There is a strong demand in these two states related to military aircraft and armaments. This includes the maintenance of existing airframes and the development and production of new platforms. The commercial space industry is coming on strong with a large presence in Florida. There is also strong demand from both spacecraft and aircraft propulsion companies. The overall employment market continues to be strong for our region.

Engineering scientist best states FAQs

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Search for engineering scientist jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total engineering scientist jobs:	208
Average annual salary:	$105,984
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$76,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$146,000
Location Quotient:	1.3

Best states for an engineering scientist

10 best states for engineering scientists in 2025

1. Rhode Island

2. Arizona

3. Idaho

4. Washington

5. Massachusetts

6. Utah

7. New Jersey

8. Minnesota

9. Maryland

10. Connecticut