Best states for a grinder

Q: What is the best state for grinders?

The best state to be a grinder is Oregon based on grinder salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for grinders?

The highest paying state for grinders is North Carolina based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for grinders?

The worst state for grinders is Virginia, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for grinders? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for grinder jobs.Our research found that Oregon is the best state for grinders, while New Mexico and Wyoming are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Oregon has a median salary of $39,809 and New Mexico has the highest median salary among all 50 states for grinders.

Oregon is the best state for jobs for grinders, and Virginia is the worst. The most common pay in Oregon is $39,809, while the median pay in Virginia is $27,663.We found that the South is best for grinders, and the West is the worst. Tualatin, OR is the best city in the country for grinder jobs, where as Oregon is the best state in the country.

10 best states for grinders in 2025

1. Oregon
Total grinder jobs: 81
Average annual salary: $39,809
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Location Quotient:
1.85
Grinder jobs in Oregon
2. Minnesota
Total grinder jobs: 133
Average annual salary: $36,877
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.89
Grinder jobs in Minnesota
3. Iowa
Total grinder jobs: 117
Average annual salary: $34,643
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
3.04
Grinder jobs in Iowa
4. Washington
Total grinder jobs: 65
Average annual salary: $39,308
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Grinder jobs in Washington
5. North Dakota
Total grinder jobs: 12
Average annual salary: $35,700
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Grinder jobs in North Dakota
6. Wyoming
Total grinder jobs: 4
Average annual salary: $41,499
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
0.63
Grinder jobs in Wyoming
7. Nevada
Total grinder jobs: 16
Average annual salary: $37,377
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
0.72
Grinder jobs in Nevada
8. Alaska
Total grinder jobs: 7
Average annual salary: $38,190
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
0.79
Grinder jobs in Alaska
9. New Mexico
Total grinder jobs: 2
Average annual salary: $41,821
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
0.1
Grinder jobs in New Mexico
10. Colorado
Total grinder jobs: 36
Average annual salary: $39,141
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
0.57
Grinder jobs in Colorado

Grinder jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a grinder

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

Detailed list of the best states for a grinder

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Oregon	$39,809	$32,000	4,142,776	81
2	Minnesota	$36,877	$30,000	5,576,606	133
3	Iowa	$34,643	$28,000	3,145,711	117
4	Washington	$39,308	$32,000	7,405,743	65
5	North Dakota	$35,700	$29,000	755,393	12
6	Wyoming	$41,499	$33,000	579,315	4
7	Nevada	$37,377	$29,000	2,998,039	16
8	Alaska	$38,190	$34,000	739,795	7
9	New Mexico	$41,821	$33,000	2,088,070	2
10	Colorado	$39,141	$31,000	5,607,154	36
11	Pennsylvania	$33,150	$26,000	12,805,537	152
12	Maine	$33,899	$27,000	1,335,907	21
13	South Dakota	$31,953	$26,000	869,666	26
14	New Hampshire	$34,731	$27,000	1,342,795	15
15	Ohio	$32,482	$25,000	11,658,609	156
16	Utah	$33,485	$26,000	3,101,833	32
17	Vermont	$35,873	$28,000	623,657	5
18	Indiana	$31,989	$25,000	6,666,818	162
19	Rhode Island	$33,641	$26,000	1,059,639	12
20	Missouri	$32,860	$26,000	6,113,532	82
21	Arizona	$34,042	$26,000	7,016,270	45
22	California	$36,837	$29,000	39,536,653	229
23	Michigan	$32,094	$25,000	9,962,311	97
24	Nebraska	$31,804	$25,000	1,920,076	49
25	Kansas	$32,195	$25,000	2,913,123	43
26	Massachusetts	$35,955	$28,000	6,859,819	42
27	Wisconsin	$31,332	$25,000	5,795,483	184
28	New York	$35,643	$28,000	19,849,399	70
29	Idaho	$33,072	$26,000	1,716,943	12
30	New Jersey	$36,196	$28,000	9,005,644	24
31	Hawaii	$37,140	$31,000	1,427,538	5
32	Alabama	$31,449	$25,000	4,874,747	36
33	Montana	$33,167	$27,000	1,050,493	5
34	Delaware	$33,686	$26,000	961,939	6
35	Texas	$30,886	$24,000	28,304,596	195
36	Arkansas	$30,261	$24,000	3,004,279	23
37	Mississippi	$30,910	$24,000	2,984,100	18
38	Connecticut	$32,268	$25,000	3,588,184	24
39	Illinois	$30,271	$24,000	12,802,023	157
40	Tennessee	$29,585	$23,000	6,715,984	75
41	Louisiana	$31,208	$24,000	4,684,333	24
42	Kentucky	$27,737	$22,000	4,454,189	54
43	Oklahoma	$28,475	$22,000	3,930,864	25
44	Georgia	$28,417	$22,000	10,429,379	87
45	Maryland	$31,455	$24,000	6,052,177	23
46	South Carolina	$27,364	$21,000	5,024,369	41
47	North Carolina	$26,493	$21,000	10,273,419	95
48	West Virginia	$27,809	$22,000	1,815,857	8
49	District of Columbia	$30,437	$24,000	693,972	3
50	Florida	$27,412	$21,000	20,984,400	124
51	Virginia	$27,663	$22,000	8,470,020	66

Highest paying states for grinders

Rank	State	Avg. Grinder Salary
1	Oregon	$39,809
2	Minnesota	$36,877
3	Iowa	$34,643
4	Washington	$39,308
5	North Dakota	$35,700
6	Wyoming	$41,499
7	Nevada	$37,377
8	Alaska	$38,190
9	New Mexico	$41,821
10	Colorado	$39,141
11	Pennsylvania	$33,150
12	Maine	$33,899
13	South Dakota	$31,953
14	New Hampshire	$34,731
15	Ohio	$32,482
16	Utah	$33,485
17	Vermont	$35,873
18	Indiana	$31,989
19	Rhode Island	$33,641
20	Missouri	$32,860
21	Arizona	$34,042
22	California	$36,837
23	Michigan	$32,094
24	Nebraska	$31,804
25	Kansas	$32,195
26	Massachusetts	$35,955
27	Wisconsin	$31,332
28	New York	$35,643
29	Idaho	$33,072
30	New Jersey	$36,196
31	Hawaii	$37,140
32	Alabama	$31,449
33	Montana	$33,167
34	Delaware	$33,686
35	Texas	$30,886
36	Arkansas	$30,261
37	Mississippi	$30,910
38	Connecticut	$32,268
39	Illinois	$30,271
40	Tennessee	$29,585
41	Louisiana	$31,208
42	Kentucky	$27,737
43	Oklahoma	$28,475
44	Georgia	$28,417
45	Maryland	$31,455
46	South Carolina	$27,364
47	North Carolina	$26,493
48	West Virginia	$27,809
49	District of Columbia	$30,437
50	Florida	$27,412
51	Virginia	$27,663

Grinder best states FAQs

What is the best state for grinders?

What is the highest paying state for grinders?

What is the worst state for grinders?

Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.

Search for grinder jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs

Total grinder jobs:	81
Average annual salary:	$39,809
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$32,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$49,000
Location Quotient:	1.85

Best states for a grinder

10 best states for grinders in 2025

1. Oregon

2. Minnesota

3. Iowa

4. Washington

5. North Dakota

6. Wyoming

7. Nevada

8. Alaska

9. New Mexico

10. Colorado