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Best states for a foster care worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
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Are you thinking of becoming a foster care worker and really want to work at Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois? Turns out, your chances to become a foster care worker are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that Washington is the best state for foster care workers in America. The best city in America for foster care workers with the highest pay is Baltimore, MD.
Washington is the best state for jobs for foster care workers, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $60,967, while the median pay in Mississippi is $31,246.We found that the South is best for foster care workers, and the West is the worst. Baltimore, MD is the best city in the country for foster care worker jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.
10 best states for foster care workers in 2026
1. Washington
Total foster care worker jobs: 2,139 Average annual salary: $60,967 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
2. Alaska
Total foster care worker jobs: 281 Average annual salary: $59,778 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
3. West Virginia
Total foster care worker jobs: 444 Average annual salary: $52,962 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
4. Maryland
Total foster care worker jobs: 1,434 Average annual salary: $66,497 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
5. Minnesota
Total foster care worker jobs: 1,439 Average annual salary: $60,666 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
6. North Carolina
Total foster care worker jobs: 2,627 Average annual salary: $53,057 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
7. Oregon
Total foster care worker jobs: 1,146 Average annual salary: $54,367 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
8. New Hampshire
Total foster care worker jobs: 468 Average annual salary: $52,725 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
9. New Jersey
Total foster care worker jobs: 762 Average annual salary: $79,379 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 0.45
10. Nevada
Total foster care worker jobs: 396 Average annual salary: $57,986 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
Foster care worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a foster care worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a foster care worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $60,967 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,139 |
| 2 | Alaska | $59,778 | $51,000 | 739,795 | 281 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $52,962 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 444 |
| 4 | Maryland | $66,497 | $43,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,434 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $60,666 | $42,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,439 |
| 6 | North Carolina | $53,057 | $35,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,627 |
| 7 | Oregon | $54,367 | $36,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,146 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $52,725 | $36,000 | 1,342,795 | 468 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $79,379 | $52,000 | 9,005,644 | 762 |
| 10 | Nevada | $57,986 | $37,000 | 2,998,039 | 396 |
| 11 | California | $55,602 | $35,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,254 |
| 12 | Virginia | $56,549 | $36,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,176 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $55,542 | $39,000 | 755,393 | 173 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $65,637 | $42,000 | 693,972 | 258 |
| 15 | New York | $63,870 | $42,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,507 |
| 16 | Idaho | $50,980 | $34,000 | 1,716,943 | 404 |
| 17 | Illinois | $52,388 | $35,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,596 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $47,950 | $31,000 | 2,088,070 | 525 |
| 19 | Maine | $46,459 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 413 |
| 20 | Texas | $54,050 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,907 |
| 21 | Michigan | $46,845 | $31,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,888 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $44,881 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 294 |
| 23 | Ohio | $47,773 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,589 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $49,451 | $33,000 | 3,588,184 | 643 |
| 25 | Iowa | $46,116 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 741 |
| 26 | Montana | $45,098 | $31,000 | 1,050,493 | 298 |
| 27 | Kansas | $47,761 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 442 |
| 28 | Massachusetts | $45,224 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,379 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $41,881 | $28,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,620 |
| 30 | Delaware | $46,358 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 282 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $43,285 | $29,000 | 579,315 | 156 |
| 32 | Colorado | $44,208 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,571 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $46,829 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,282 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $43,528 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,089 |
| 35 | Arizona | $43,495 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,411 |
| 36 | Utah | $43,964 | $29,000 | 3,101,833 | 709 |
| 37 | Vermont | $45,337 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 129 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $44,028 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,008 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $44,868 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 186 |
| 40 | Georgia | $40,795 | $27,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,816 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $37,055 | $23,000 | 4,684,333 | 942 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $42,895 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 182 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $38,684 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 576 |
| 44 | Missouri | $30,707 | $21,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,849 |
| 45 | Alabama | $37,294 | $24,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,024 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $34,220 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 736 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $37,856 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 260 |
| 48 | Indiana | $38,266 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 533 |
| 49 | Florida | $35,673 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,083 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $36,741 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 611 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $31,246 | $20,000 | 2,984,100 | 450 |
Highest paying states for foster care workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Foster Care Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $60,967 |
| 2 | Alaska | $59,778 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $52,962 |
| 4 | Maryland | $66,497 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $60,666 |
| 6 | North Carolina | $53,057 |
| 7 | Oregon | $54,367 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $52,725 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $79,379 |
| 10 | Nevada | $57,986 |
| 11 | California | $55,602 |
| 12 | Virginia | $56,549 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $55,542 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $65,637 |
| 15 | New York | $63,870 |
| 16 | Idaho | $50,980 |
| 17 | Illinois | $52,388 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $47,950 |
| 19 | Maine | $46,459 |
| 20 | Texas | $54,050 |
| 21 | Michigan | $46,845 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $44,881 |
| 23 | Ohio | $47,773 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $49,451 |
| 25 | Iowa | $46,116 |
| 26 | Montana | $45,098 |
| 27 | Kansas | $47,761 |
| 28 | Massachusetts | $45,224 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $41,881 |
| 30 | Delaware | $46,358 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $43,285 |
| 32 | Colorado | $44,208 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $46,829 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $43,528 |
| 35 | Arizona | $43,495 |
| 36 | Utah | $43,964 |
| 37 | Vermont | $45,337 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $44,028 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $44,868 |
| 40 | Georgia | $40,795 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $37,055 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $42,895 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $38,684 |
| 44 | Missouri | $30,707 |
| 45 | Alabama | $37,294 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $34,220 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $37,856 |
| 48 | Indiana | $38,266 |
| 49 | Florida | $35,673 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $36,741 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $31,246 |
Expert opinions on the best states for foster care workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for foster care workers to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
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Updated January 8, 2025