Best states for a field investigator

Q: What is the best state for field investigators?

The best state to be a field investigator is California based on field investigator salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for field investigators?

The highest paying state for field investigators is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for field investigators?

The worst state for field investigators is Alabama, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for field investigators? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for field investigator 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.In fact, our research shows that California is the best state for field investigators in America. The best city in America for field investigators with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.

In order to get you the best states for field investigators, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a field investigator, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for field investigators in 2026

1. California
Total field investigator jobs: 2,450
Average annual salary: $49,616
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Field investigator jobs in California
2. Oregon
Total field investigator jobs: 347
Average annual salary: $43,182
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Field investigator jobs in Oregon
3. Maine
Total field investigator jobs: 140
Average annual salary: $36,762
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
1.48
Field investigator jobs in Maine
4. Vermont
Total field investigator jobs: 65
Average annual salary: $37,650
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Field investigator jobs in Vermont
5. New Hampshire
Total field investigator jobs: 142
Average annual salary: $37,835
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Field investigator jobs in New Hampshire
6. New York
Total field investigator jobs: 892
Average annual salary: $43,471
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Field investigator jobs in New York
7. Alaska
Total field investigator jobs: 48
Average annual salary: $46,400
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Field investigator jobs in Alaska
8. Nevada
Total field investigator jobs: 172
Average annual salary: $35,675
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Field investigator jobs in Nevada
9. Connecticut
Total field investigator jobs: 235
Average annual salary: $38,926
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Field investigator jobs in Connecticut
10. Hawaii
Total field investigator jobs: 86
Average annual salary: $39,856
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
1.44
Field investigator jobs in Hawaii

Field investigator jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a field investigator

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

Detailed list of the best states for a field investigator

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	California	$49,616	$31,000	39,536,653	2,450
2	Oregon	$43,182	$28,000	4,142,776	347
3	Maine	$36,762	$27,000	1,335,907	140
4	Vermont	$37,650	$27,000	623,657	65
5	New Hampshire	$37,835	$27,000	1,342,795	142
6	New York	$43,471	$29,000	19,849,399	892
7	Alaska	$46,400	$38,000	739,795	48
8	Nevada	$35,675	$22,000	2,998,039	172
9	Connecticut	$38,926	$26,000	3,588,184	235
10	Hawaii	$39,856	$32,000	1,427,538	86
11	New Jersey	$39,709	$27,000	9,005,644	527
12	Rhode Island	$39,657	$27,000	1,059,639	64
13	Massachusetts	$38,128	$27,000	6,859,819	650
14	Texas	$34,277	$23,000	28,304,596	1,647
15	Pennsylvania	$35,863	$24,000	12,805,537	793
16	Washington	$38,707	$25,000	7,405,743	474
17	District of Columbia	$36,997	$25,000	693,972	146
18	Maryland	$37,057	$25,000	6,052,177	461
19	Indiana	$35,607	$25,000	6,666,818	403
20	Minnesota	$35,669	$25,000	5,576,606	471
21	Idaho	$33,646	$22,000	1,716,943	137
22	North Dakota	$32,000	$23,000	755,393	114
23	Montana	$32,586	$22,000	1,050,493	114
24	North Carolina	$34,849	$24,000	10,273,419	663
25	Ohio	$34,598	$24,000	11,658,609	561
26	Wisconsin	$33,345	$23,000	5,795,483	388
27	Virginia	$33,974	$23,000	8,470,020	714
28	Colorado	$32,739	$22,000	5,607,154	461
29	Delaware	$32,096	$21,000	961,939	98
30	South Dakota	$33,229	$23,000	869,666	56
31	New Mexico	$29,806	$20,000	2,088,070	157
32	Florida	$30,718	$21,000	20,984,400	1,249
33	Michigan	$32,445	$22,000	9,962,311	383
34	South Carolina	$31,106	$22,000	5,024,369	285
35	Utah	$29,470	$19,000	3,101,833	248
36	Wyoming	$27,759	$19,000	579,315	64
37	Iowa	$29,904	$21,000	3,145,711	236
38	West Virginia	$30,391	$20,000	1,815,857	96
39	Oklahoma	$27,871	$19,000	3,930,864	249
40	Missouri	$29,776	$21,000	6,113,532	399
41	Illinois	$31,277	$21,000	12,802,023	717
42	Arizona	$28,343	$18,000	7,016,270	467
43	Nebraska	$29,333	$20,000	1,920,076	134
44	Kentucky	$29,178	$20,000	4,454,189	180
45	Arkansas	$27,086	$19,000	3,004,279	177
46	Georgia	$26,784	$19,000	10,429,379	719
47	Louisiana	$26,566	$18,000	4,684,333	222
48	Mississippi	$24,016	$16,000	2,984,100	157
49	Kansas	$28,024	$19,000	2,913,123	145
50	Tennessee	$26,311	$18,000	6,715,984	370
51	Alabama	$25,256	$17,000	4,874,747	244

Highest paying states for field investigators

Rank	State	Avg. Field Investigator Salary
1	California	$49,616
2	Oregon	$43,182
3	Maine	$36,762
4	Vermont	$37,650
5	New Hampshire	$37,835
6	New York	$43,471
7	Alaska	$46,400
8	Nevada	$35,675
9	Connecticut	$38,926
10	Hawaii	$39,856
11	New Jersey	$39,709
12	Rhode Island	$39,657
13	Massachusetts	$38,128
14	Texas	$34,277
15	Pennsylvania	$35,863
16	Washington	$38,707
17	District of Columbia	$36,997
18	Maryland	$37,057
19	Indiana	$35,607
20	Minnesota	$35,669
21	Idaho	$33,646
22	North Dakota	$32,000
23	Montana	$32,586
24	North Carolina	$34,849
25	Ohio	$34,598
26	Wisconsin	$33,345
27	Virginia	$33,974
28	Colorado	$32,739
29	Delaware	$32,096
30	South Dakota	$33,229
31	New Mexico	$29,806
32	Florida	$30,718
33	Michigan	$32,445
34	South Carolina	$31,106
35	Utah	$29,470
36	Wyoming	$27,759
37	Iowa	$29,904
38	West Virginia	$30,391
39	Oklahoma	$27,871
40	Missouri	$29,776
41	Illinois	$31,277
42	Arizona	$28,343
43	Nebraska	$29,333
44	Kentucky	$29,178
45	Arkansas	$27,086
46	Georgia	$26,784
47	Louisiana	$26,566
48	Mississippi	$24,016
49	Kansas	$28,024
50	Tennessee	$26,311
51	Alabama	$25,256

Field investigator best states FAQs

What is the best state for field investigators?

What is the highest paying state for field investigators?

What is the worst state for field investigators?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

Search for field investigator jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse business and financial jobs

Total field investigator jobs:	2,450
Average annual salary:	$49,616
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$31,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$78,000
Location Quotient:	1.17

Best states for a field investigator

10 best states for field investigators in 2026

1. California

2. Oregon

3. Maine

4. Vermont

5. New Hampshire

6. New York

7. Alaska

8. Nevada

9. Connecticut

10. Hawaii