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Best states for a job development specialist
Quoted expert
Allie Grill
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for job development specialists? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for job development specialist 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 order to help you decide which state is the best for job development specialists, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for job development specialist jobs.
In order to get you the best states for job development specialists, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Montana is the best state, and Hilo is the city with the highest pay for job development specialists.
10 best states for job development specialists in 2025
1. Montana
Total job development specialist jobs: 250 Average annual salary: $43,851 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.972. Pennsylvania
Total job development specialist jobs: 1,671 Average annual salary: $43,481 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.33. Hawaii
Total job development specialist jobs: 158 Average annual salary: $47,493 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.714. Texas
Total job development specialist jobs: 3,447 Average annual salary: $40,218 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.555. Nevada
Total job development specialist jobs: 308 Average annual salary: $40,047 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.346. Mississippi
Total job development specialist jobs: 266 Average annual salary: $39,703 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.147. Maine
Total job development specialist jobs: 88 Average annual salary: $41,596 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.68. South Dakota
Total job development specialist jobs: 178 Average annual salary: $38,277 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.519. Kansas
Total job development specialist jobs: 485 Average annual salary: $38,568 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.4610. Washington
Total job development specialist jobs: 432 Average annual salary: $44,524 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.54
Job development specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a job development specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a job development specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $43,851 | $34,000 | 1,050,493 | 250 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $43,481 | $31,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,671 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $47,493 | $40,000 | 1,427,538 | 158 |
| 4 | Texas | $40,218 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,447 |
| 5 | Nevada | $40,047 | $30,000 | 2,998,039 | 308 |
| 6 | Mississippi | $39,703 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 266 |
| 7 | Maine | $41,596 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 88 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $38,277 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 178 |
| 9 | Kansas | $38,568 | $29,000 | 2,913,123 | 485 |
| 10 | Washington | $44,524 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 432 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $46,351 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 184 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $37,102 | $29,000 | 755,393 | 188 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $42,088 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 71 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $45,113 | $32,000 | 9,005,644 | 439 |
| 15 | Georgia | $38,344 | $29,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,630 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $38,523 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 414 |
| 17 | Michigan | $37,296 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,241 |
| 18 | Virginia | $41,126 | $30,000 | 8,470,020 | 593 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $38,413 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 641 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $38,781 | $30,000 | 579,315 | 35 |
| 21 | California | $43,887 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,687 |
| 22 | Delaware | $39,733 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 103 |
| 23 | Illinois | $40,431 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 692 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $41,176 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 204 |
| 25 | Indiana | $36,614 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 925 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $38,926 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 110 |
| 27 | Colorado | $40,045 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 379 |
| 28 | Alaska | $35,950 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 154 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $35,266 | $26,000 | 6,715,984 | 781 |
| 30 | Florida | $35,573 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,598 |
| 31 | Alabama | $35,423 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 592 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $34,574 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 404 |
| 33 | Maryland | $39,787 | $28,000 | 6,052,177 | 503 |
| 34 | Oregon | $38,369 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 271 |
| 35 | Arizona | $34,171 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,113 |
| 36 | Missouri | $35,161 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 852 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $33,844 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 358 |
| 38 | Ohio | $34,703 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,232 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $32,679 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 463 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $37,482 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 412 |
| 41 | New York | $37,265 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 976 |
| 42 | Iowa | $32,855 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 525 |
| 43 | Massachusetts | $36,167 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 628 |
| 44 | Vermont | $34,230 | $26,000 | 623,657 | 60 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $32,665 | $25,000 | 3,930,864 | 358 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $30,884 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 833 |
| 47 | Utah | $33,578 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 205 |
| 48 | Idaho | $32,644 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 133 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $28,452 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 513 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $30,921 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 461 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $25,357 | $18,000 | 1,815,857 | 214 |
Highest paying states for job development specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Job Development Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $43,851 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $43,481 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $47,493 |
| 4 | Texas | $40,218 |
| 5 | Nevada | $40,047 |
| 6 | Mississippi | $39,703 |
| 7 | Maine | $41,596 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $38,277 |
| 9 | Kansas | $38,568 |
| 10 | Washington | $44,524 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $46,351 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $37,102 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $42,088 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $45,113 |
| 15 | Georgia | $38,344 |
| 16 | Louisiana | $38,523 |
| 17 | Michigan | $37,296 |
| 18 | Virginia | $41,126 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $38,413 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $38,781 |
| 21 | California | $43,887 |
| 22 | Delaware | $39,733 |
| 23 | Illinois | $40,431 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $41,176 |
| 25 | Indiana | $36,614 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $38,926 |
| 27 | Colorado | $40,045 |
| 28 | Alaska | $35,950 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $35,266 |
| 30 | Florida | $35,573 |
| 31 | Alabama | $35,423 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $34,574 |
| 33 | Maryland | $39,787 |
| 34 | Oregon | $38,369 |
| 35 | Arizona | $34,171 |
| 36 | Missouri | $35,161 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $33,844 |
| 38 | Ohio | $34,703 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $32,679 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $37,482 |
| 41 | New York | $37,265 |
| 42 | Iowa | $32,855 |
| 43 | Massachusetts | $36,167 |
| 44 | Vermont | $34,230 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $32,665 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $30,884 |
| 47 | Utah | $33,578 |
| 48 | Idaho | $32,644 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $28,452 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $30,921 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $25,357 |
Expert opinions on the best states for job development specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for job development specialists to find work opportunities?
Allie Grill
Associate Director of Employer Engagement, Susquehanna University
This pandemic state has disrupted the concept of physical location for organizations and their workforces. I expect that this trend will continue as an enduring statement of our pandemic. That said, job candidates need to truly consider the importance a physical community plays in the job search strategy. At this stage, I think it's essential for job seekers to clarify the significance that their support system will contribute to their post-graduate lives and make decisions that prioritize their answers. For example, maybe it's essential to be near an aging family member or a sibling rather than to move somewhere new for a job without an existing support structure.
The answer to the question, "Where are the jobs located?" is a complicated one because it entirely depends on the industry and employer. While the significant fin-tech hubs of Silicon Valley, New York City, and Boston are well known, emerging locations of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and internationally in Dublin, Singapore, and Hong Kong are becoming apparent (according to FinTech Magazine).
Healthcare is an occupational field with the most growth projected until 2029. According to Becker's Hospital Review, most digital health start-ups are located in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas.
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Updated January 8, 2025