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Best states for a foreign language professor
Quoted expert
Dr. Vanessa Lazo
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for foreign language professors in the United States. Foreign language professor positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for foreign language professors.Our research shows that New Hampshire is the best state in the country for foreign language professors.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for foreign language professors.We found that the South is best for foreign language professors, and the Northeast is the worst. Philadelphia, PA is the best city in the country for foreign language professor jobs, where as New Hampshire is the best state in the country.
10 best states for foreign language professors in 2025
1. New Hampshire
Total foreign language professor jobs: 255 Average annual salary: $51,655 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 2.112. Vermont
Total foreign language professor jobs: 163 Average annual salary: $45,032 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 3.073. Massachusetts
Total foreign language professor jobs: 708 Average annual salary: $48,064 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.124. New York
Total foreign language professor jobs: 1,269 Average annual salary: $46,846 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.435. Washington
Total foreign language professor jobs: 480 Average annual salary: $48,155 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 0.956. Pennsylvania
Total foreign language professor jobs: 723 Average annual salary: $47,289 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.97. Illinois
Total foreign language professor jobs: 806 Average annual salary: $45,687 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 0.988. North Dakota
Total foreign language professor jobs: 47 Average annual salary: $53,083 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 0.739. Alaska
Total foreign language professor jobs: 43 Average annual salary: $57,263 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 0.7510. Michigan
Total foreign language professor jobs: 521 Average annual salary: $41,088 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
Foreign language professor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a foreign language professor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a foreign language professor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $51,655 | $31,000 | 1,342,795 | 255 |
| 2 | Vermont | $45,032 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 163 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $48,064 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 708 |
| 4 | New York | $46,846 | $28,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,269 |
| 5 | Washington | $48,155 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 480 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $47,289 | $29,000 | 12,805,537 | 723 |
| 7 | Illinois | $45,687 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 806 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $53,083 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 47 |
| 9 | Alaska | $57,263 | $47,000 | 739,795 | 43 |
| 10 | Michigan | $41,088 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 521 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $43,222 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 255 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $45,962 | $28,000 | 9,005,644 | 472 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $39,655 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 376 |
| 14 | Montana | $41,452 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 71 |
| 15 | California | $44,674 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,779 |
| 16 | Oregon | $38,263 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 384 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $41,928 | $29,000 | 5,576,606 | 309 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $37,386 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 287 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $40,354 | $24,000 | 1,059,639 | 82 |
| 20 | Florida | $38,013 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,215 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $36,720 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 179 |
| 22 | Nevada | $40,375 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 82 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $42,170 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 109 |
| 24 | Iowa | $36,441 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 265 |
| 25 | Maryland | $38,707 | $25,000 | 6,052,177 | 424 |
| 26 | Indiana | $36,840 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 350 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $34,721 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 81 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $37,947 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 27 |
| 29 | Idaho | $38,440 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 69 |
| 30 | Delaware | $36,047 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 86 |
| 31 | Kansas | $33,383 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 236 |
| 32 | Virginia | $33,628 | $22,000 | 8,470,020 | 901 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $35,660 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 203 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $31,596 | $22,000 | 5,024,369 | 349 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $36,195 | $30,000 | 1,427,538 | 55 |
| 36 | Colorado | $31,595 | $22,000 | 5,607,154 | 514 |
| 37 | Missouri | $35,207 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 308 |
| 38 | Maine | $34,212 | $21,000 | 1,335,907 | 70 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $29,862 | $20,000 | 2,984,100 | 180 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $29,307 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 325 |
| 41 | Ohio | $32,813 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 468 |
| 42 | Utah | $32,547 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 174 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $24,687 | $16,000 | 1,815,857 | 306 |
| 44 | Alabama | $31,040 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 260 |
| 45 | Texas | $28,443 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,748 |
| 46 | Georgia | $32,470 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 421 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $30,253 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 613 |
| 48 | Arizona | $30,890 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 299 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $22,583 | $15,000 | 2,088,070 | 157 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $28,907 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 97 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $24,306 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 138 |
Highest paying states for foreign language professors
| Rank | State | Avg. Foreign Language Professor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $51,655 |
| 2 | Vermont | $45,032 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $48,064 |
| 4 | New York | $46,846 |
| 5 | Washington | $48,155 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $47,289 |
| 7 | Illinois | $45,687 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $53,083 |
| 9 | Alaska | $57,263 |
| 10 | Michigan | $41,088 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $43,222 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $45,962 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $39,655 |
| 14 | Montana | $41,452 |
| 15 | California | $44,674 |
| 16 | Oregon | $38,263 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $41,928 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $37,386 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $40,354 |
| 20 | Florida | $38,013 |
| 21 | Nebraska | $36,720 |
| 22 | Nevada | $40,375 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $42,170 |
| 24 | Iowa | $36,441 |
| 25 | Maryland | $38,707 |
| 26 | Indiana | $36,840 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $34,721 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $37,947 |
| 29 | Idaho | $38,440 |
| 30 | Delaware | $36,047 |
| 31 | Kansas | $33,383 |
| 32 | Virginia | $33,628 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $35,660 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $31,596 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $36,195 |
| 36 | Colorado | $31,595 |
| 37 | Missouri | $35,207 |
| 38 | Maine | $34,212 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $29,862 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $29,307 |
| 41 | Ohio | $32,813 |
| 42 | Utah | $32,547 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $24,687 |
| 44 | Alabama | $31,040 |
| 45 | Texas | $28,443 |
| 46 | Georgia | $32,470 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $30,253 |
| 48 | Arizona | $30,890 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $22,583 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $28,907 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $24,306 |
Expert opinions on the best states for foreign language professors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for foreign language professors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Vanessa Lazo
Department Chair, Professor of Spanish, Faculty Leader of the Year 2020-2021, Austin Community College
The beauty of studying any one of our foreign languages is that each language can be a field of study of its own if the depth of understanding is sought from a historical, linguistic, or literature perspective. The study of foreign languages also merges with any other field of study to build bridges of understanding between several areas. Furthermore, students of foreign languages can better communicate with any given audience, be these clients, patients, students, or any other citizen of the community, and beyond, for whom they provide service.
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Updated January 8, 2025