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Best states for an executive sales director
Quoted expert
Victoria Bernal Ph.D.
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It seems like executive sales directors are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for executive sales directors aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant executive sales director jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the West. Vermont is the best state in the country for executive sales director jobs.
We figured that the best places for executive sales director 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.Vermont is the best state, and Grants Pass is the city with the highest pay for executive sales directors.
10 best states for executive sales directors in 2026
1. Vermont
Total executive sales director jobs: 171 Average annual salary: $143,074 Lowest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $217,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
2. Arkansas
Total executive sales director jobs: 779 Average annual salary: $130,366 Lowest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $205,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
3. Utah
Total executive sales director jobs: 759 Average annual salary: $134,232 Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $207,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
4. Rhode Island
Total executive sales director jobs: 269 Average annual salary: $137,585 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $210,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
5. Pennsylvania
Total executive sales director jobs: 2,163 Average annual salary: $140,481 Lowest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $215,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
6. Virginia
Total executive sales director jobs: 2,000 Average annual salary: $143,791 Lowest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $219,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
7. Michigan
Total executive sales director jobs: 1,125 Average annual salary: $146,164 Lowest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $223,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
8. Oregon
Total executive sales director jobs: 658 Average annual salary: $148,770 Lowest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $223,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
9. Maine
Total executive sales director jobs: 170 Average annual salary: $146,313 Lowest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $221,000 Location Quotient: 0.67
10. New Hampshire
Total executive sales director jobs: 263 Average annual salary: $143,925 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $218,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
Executive sales director jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an executive sales director
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an executive sales director
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $143,074 | $93,000 | 623,657 | 171 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $130,366 | $82,000 | 3,004,279 | 779 |
| 3 | Utah | $134,232 | $86,000 | 3,101,833 | 759 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $137,585 | $90,000 | 1,059,639 | 269 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $140,481 | $91,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,163 |
| 6 | Virginia | $143,791 | $93,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,000 |
| 7 | Michigan | $146,164 | $95,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,125 |
| 8 | Oregon | $148,770 | $98,000 | 4,142,776 | 658 |
| 9 | Maine | $146,313 | $96,000 | 1,335,907 | 170 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $143,925 | $94,000 | 1,342,795 | 263 |
| 11 | Arizona | $134,946 | $86,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,138 |
| 12 | Texas | $130,829 | $83,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,665 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $134,804 | $87,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,293 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $132,022 | $84,000 | 6,715,984 | 991 |
| 15 | New York | $146,453 | $96,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,120 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $143,944 | $93,000 | 693,972 | 375 |
| 17 | Nevada | $130,668 | $84,000 | 2,998,039 | 433 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $131,649 | $84,000 | 5,795,483 | 920 |
| 19 | Indiana | $131,851 | $84,000 | 6,666,818 | 978 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $121,423 | $77,000 | 869,666 | 268 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $130,332 | $84,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,898 |
| 22 | Ohio | $128,067 | $81,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,732 |
| 23 | Delaware | $131,699 | $84,000 | 961,939 | 213 |
| 24 | Iowa | $120,968 | $76,000 | 3,145,711 | 841 |
| 25 | Washington | $126,708 | $81,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,533 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $122,437 | $77,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,824 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $126,996 | $81,000 | 3,588,184 | 648 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $129,978 | $83,000 | 2,088,070 | 239 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $125,460 | $79,000 | 1,815,857 | 165 |
| 30 | Idaho | $122,985 | $78,000 | 1,716,943 | 293 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $122,356 | $78,000 | 755,393 | 150 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $117,146 | $73,000 | 2,984,100 | 472 |
| 33 | Alabama | $117,145 | $73,000 | 4,874,747 | 923 |
| 34 | Georgia | $120,152 | $75,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,045 |
| 35 | Kansas | $121,012 | $76,000 | 2,913,123 | 472 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $113,503 | $70,000 | 4,684,333 | 869 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $118,881 | $75,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,254 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $117,146 | $74,000 | 579,315 | 104 |
| 39 | Montana | $116,785 | $74,000 | 1,050,493 | 221 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $117,552 | $74,000 | 1,920,076 | 352 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $106,884 | $66,000 | 3,930,864 | 772 |
| 42 | Illinois | $107,946 | $67,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,081 |
| 43 | Missouri | $115,421 | $72,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,058 |
| 44 | Maryland | $118,062 | $74,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,049 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $115,641 | $72,000 | 4,454,189 | 475 |
| 46 | Florida | $113,083 | $70,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,914 |
| 47 | Colorado | $105,969 | $66,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,276 |
| 48 | Alaska | $117,815 | $77,000 | 739,795 | 101 |
| 49 | California | $116,796 | $74,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,975 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $110,269 | $68,000 | 5,024,369 | 668 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $87,828 | $62,000 | 1,427,538 | 112 |
Highest paying states for executive sales directors
| Rank | State | Avg. Executive Sales Director Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $143,074 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $130,366 |
| 3 | Utah | $134,232 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $137,585 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $140,481 |
| 6 | Virginia | $143,791 |
| 7 | Michigan | $146,164 |
| 8 | Oregon | $148,770 |
| 9 | Maine | $146,313 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $143,925 |
| 11 | Arizona | $134,946 |
| 12 | Texas | $130,829 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $134,804 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $132,022 |
| 15 | New York | $146,453 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $143,944 |
| 17 | Nevada | $130,668 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $131,649 |
| 19 | Indiana | $131,851 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $121,423 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $130,332 |
| 22 | Ohio | $128,067 |
| 23 | Delaware | $131,699 |
| 24 | Iowa | $120,968 |
| 25 | Washington | $126,708 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $122,437 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $126,996 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $129,978 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $125,460 |
| 30 | Idaho | $122,985 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $122,356 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $117,146 |
| 33 | Alabama | $117,145 |
| 34 | Georgia | $120,152 |
| 35 | Kansas | $121,012 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $113,503 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $118,881 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $117,146 |
| 39 | Montana | $116,785 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $117,552 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $106,884 |
| 42 | Illinois | $107,946 |
| 43 | Missouri | $115,421 |
| 44 | Maryland | $118,062 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $115,641 |
| 46 | Florida | $113,083 |
| 47 | Colorado | $105,969 |
| 48 | Alaska | $117,815 |
| 49 | California | $116,796 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $110,269 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $87,828 |
Expert opinions on the best states for executive sales directors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for executive sales directors to find work opportunities?
Victoria Bernal Ph.D.
Professor of Anthropology, University of California, Irvine
In my view, there is no domain of American life that could not benefit greatly from anthropological insights and research. Outside of academia, at present, the main opportunities are in non-profits and consumer/marketing-type research for corporations. Anthropologists have research skills and analytical training to understand people.
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Updated January 8, 2025