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Best states for an environmental economist
Quoted expert
Ryan Herzog Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and life, physical, and social science careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to environmental economist jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for environmental economists.In fact, our research shows that Alaska is the best state for environmental economists in America. The best city in America for environmental economists with the highest pay is Washington, DC.
Alaska is the best state for jobs for environmental economists, and Alabama is the worst. The most common pay in Alaska is $82,564, while the median pay in Alabama is $35,751.Alaska is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for environmental economists.
10 best states for environmental economists in 2025
1. Alaska
Total environmental economist jobs: 54 Average annual salary: $82,564 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location Quotient: 2.54
2. District of Columbia
Total environmental economist jobs: 91 Average annual salary: $79,691 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 2.13
3. New York
Total environmental economist jobs: 467 Average annual salary: $75,802 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
4. Massachusetts
Total environmental economist jobs: 291 Average annual salary: $68,208 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
5. Virginia
Total environmental economist jobs: 257 Average annual salary: $69,666 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
6. Maine
Total environmental economist jobs: 85 Average annual salary: $58,345 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 2.52
7. Vermont
Total environmental economist jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $63,576 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
8. Ohio
Total environmental economist jobs: 264 Average annual salary: $58,587 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
9. Connecticut
Total environmental economist jobs: 135 Average annual salary: $58,580 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
10. Rhode Island
Total environmental economist jobs: 33 Average annual salary: $59,096 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
Environmental economist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an environmental economist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an environmental economist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $82,564 | $44,000 | 739,795 | 54 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $79,691 | $39,000 | 693,972 | 91 |
| 3 | New York | $75,802 | $36,000 | 19,849,399 | 467 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $68,208 | $32,000 | 6,859,819 | 291 |
| 5 | Virginia | $69,666 | $33,000 | 8,470,020 | 257 |
| 6 | Maine | $58,345 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 85 |
| 7 | Vermont | $63,576 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 21 |
| 8 | Ohio | $58,587 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 264 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $58,580 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 135 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $59,096 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 33 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $54,662 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 47 |
| 12 | Maryland | $66,696 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 138 |
| 13 | California | $59,956 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 841 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $55,477 | $25,000 | 1,342,795 | 40 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $51,958 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 191 |
| 16 | Delaware | $61,332 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 13 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $56,041 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 28 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $51,768 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 297 |
| 19 | Illinois | $53,969 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 249 |
| 20 | Iowa | $48,696 | $24,000 | 3,145,711 | 120 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $46,686 | $24,000 | 755,393 | 66 |
| 22 | Georgia | $52,804 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 200 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $51,265 | $23,000 | 9,005,644 | 227 |
| 24 | Texas | $51,324 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 416 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $52,058 | $25,000 | 3,930,864 | 56 |
| 26 | Washington | $47,934 | $22,000 | 7,405,743 | 289 |
| 27 | Nevada | $51,351 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 39 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $46,344 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 61 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $50,298 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 17 |
| 30 | Montana | $49,357 | $24,000 | 1,050,493 | 26 |
| 31 | Michigan | $46,999 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 155 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $47,056 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 68 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $48,320 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 68 |
| 34 | Missouri | $45,973 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 137 |
| 35 | Kansas | $45,496 | $22,000 | 2,913,123 | 61 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $44,222 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 190 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $43,098 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 60 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $43,881 | $21,000 | 2,984,100 | 36 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $32,980 | $16,000 | 5,795,483 | 191 |
| 40 | Indiana | $39,767 | $19,000 | 6,666,818 | 151 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $39,183 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 64 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $26,929 | $13,000 | 1,920,076 | 77 |
| 43 | Florida | $36,513 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 394 |
| 44 | Utah | $41,712 | $19,000 | 3,101,833 | 48 |
| 45 | Colorado | $40,427 | $20,000 | 5,607,154 | 102 |
| 46 | Oregon | $40,054 | $18,000 | 4,142,776 | 75 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $25,162 | $12,000 | 579,315 | 17 |
| 48 | Idaho | $26,963 | $12,000 | 1,716,943 | 40 |
| 49 | Arizona | $36,872 | $16,000 | 7,016,270 | 102 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $29,587 | $14,000 | 6,715,984 | 115 |
| 51 | Alabama | $35,751 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 55 |
Highest paying states for environmental economists
| Rank | State | Avg. Environmental Economist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $82,564 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $79,691 |
| 3 | New York | $75,802 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $68,208 |
| 5 | Virginia | $69,666 |
| 6 | Maine | $58,345 |
| 7 | Vermont | $63,576 |
| 8 | Ohio | $58,587 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $58,580 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $59,096 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $54,662 |
| 12 | Maryland | $66,696 |
| 13 | California | $59,956 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $55,477 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $51,958 |
| 16 | Delaware | $61,332 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $56,041 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $51,768 |
| 19 | Illinois | $53,969 |
| 20 | Iowa | $48,696 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $46,686 |
| 22 | Georgia | $52,804 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $51,265 |
| 24 | Texas | $51,324 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $52,058 |
| 26 | Washington | $47,934 |
| 27 | Nevada | $51,351 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $46,344 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $50,298 |
| 30 | Montana | $49,357 |
| 31 | Michigan | $46,999 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $47,056 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $48,320 |
| 34 | Missouri | $45,973 |
| 35 | Kansas | $45,496 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $44,222 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $43,098 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $43,881 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $32,980 |
| 40 | Indiana | $39,767 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $39,183 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $26,929 |
| 43 | Florida | $36,513 |
| 44 | Utah | $41,712 |
| 45 | Colorado | $40,427 |
| 46 | Oregon | $40,054 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $25,162 |
| 48 | Idaho | $26,963 |
| 49 | Arizona | $36,872 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $29,587 |
| 51 | Alabama | $35,751 |
Expert opinions on the best states for environmental economists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for environmental economists to find work opportunities?
Ryan Herzog Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Economics, Gonzaga University
The tech industry is booming as firms adjust operations for the work-from-home environment. We are in a strange transition, and I'm not sure it is ending any time soon. Careers tied to leisure and hospitality and air travel will take years before they return to pre-pandemic levels. So Boeing, Delta, United, American Airlines, etc. might not be hiring for a while, but Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, etc. will be able to pick up the slack.
We also see demand pick up in service sectors (hardware stores, fast food), delivery (FedEx, UPS, UberEats/Grubhub), outdoor recreation, and construction (especially single and multifamily units). The pandemic will speed up a lot of tech developments (Zoom, Instacart) and create a lot of new opportunities (still figuring these out).
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Updated January 8, 2025