Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a junior engineer
Quoted expert
Jared Wilson
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a junior engineer and really want to work at ST Paper LLC? Turns out, your chances to become a junior engineer are better in some states than others.In order to help you decide which state is the best for junior engineers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for junior engineer jobs.
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 junior engineers.We found that the Midwest is best for junior engineers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for junior engineer jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.
10 best states for junior engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total junior engineer jobs: 1,480 Average annual salary: $89,292 Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.352. California
Total junior engineer jobs: 7,103 Average annual salary: $87,376 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 1.623. Massachusetts
Total junior engineer jobs: 1,514 Average annual salary: $82,677 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.14. Arizona
Total junior engineer jobs: 983 Average annual salary: $73,696 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.125. Oregon
Total junior engineer jobs: 901 Average annual salary: $75,128 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1.456. Michigan
Total junior engineer jobs: 1,264 Average annual salary: $71,510 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.097. District of Columbia
Total junior engineer jobs: 486 Average annual salary: $82,203 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.938. Virginia
Total junior engineer jobs: 2,294 Average annual salary: $73,905 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 1.629. Colorado
Total junior engineer jobs: 1,122 Average annual salary: $73,226 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1.2610. New Mexico
Total junior engineer jobs: 243 Average annual salary: $73,305 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
Junior engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a junior engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a junior engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $89,292 | $66,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,480 |
| 2 | California | $87,376 | $62,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,103 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $82,677 | $62,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,514 |
| 4 | Arizona | $73,696 | $53,000 | 7,016,270 | 983 |
| 5 | Oregon | $75,128 | $56,000 | 4,142,776 | 901 |
| 6 | Michigan | $71,510 | $53,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,264 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $82,203 | $60,000 | 693,972 | 486 |
| 8 | Virginia | $73,905 | $54,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,294 |
| 9 | Colorado | $73,226 | $53,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,122 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $73,305 | $52,000 | 2,088,070 | 243 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $79,203 | $58,000 | 1,815,857 | 125 |
| 12 | Texas | $70,513 | $50,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,990 |
| 13 | Vermont | $69,952 | $53,000 | 623,657 | 126 |
| 14 | Maryland | $71,819 | $53,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,493 |
| 15 | Maine | $74,264 | $57,000 | 1,335,907 | 125 |
| 16 | Nevada | $70,097 | $50,000 | 2,998,039 | 261 |
| 17 | Alaska | $77,494 | $66,000 | 739,795 | 95 |
| 18 | New York | $72,962 | $54,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,961 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $75,524 | $56,000 | 9,005,644 | 890 |
| 20 | Alabama | $67,513 | $49,000 | 4,874,747 | 596 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $70,870 | $53,000 | 3,588,184 | 490 |
| 22 | Illinois | $70,204 | $51,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,566 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $76,908 | $62,000 | 1,427,538 | 114 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $68,219 | $51,000 | 1,059,639 | 158 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $67,445 | $51,000 | 1,342,795 | 243 |
| 26 | Delaware | $67,450 | $49,000 | 961,939 | 230 |
| 27 | Idaho | $66,640 | $48,000 | 1,716,943 | 220 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $68,586 | $50,000 | 869,666 | 88 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $67,651 | $49,000 | 6,715,984 | 502 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $69,613 | $50,000 | 4,684,333 | 262 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $67,341 | $49,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,341 |
| 32 | Ohio | $64,889 | $48,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,243 |
| 33 | Georgia | $67,296 | $49,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,167 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $63,551 | $47,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,263 |
| 35 | Indiana | $63,797 | $47,000 | 6,666,818 | 730 |
| 36 | Utah | $61,483 | $44,000 | 3,101,833 | 655 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $62,365 | $46,000 | 5,576,606 | 911 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $63,164 | $46,000 | 1,920,076 | 236 |
| 39 | Iowa | $62,341 | $45,000 | 3,145,711 | 410 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $61,026 | $45,000 | 755,393 | 110 |
| 41 | Florida | $62,813 | $46,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,838 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $62,331 | $45,000 | 3,930,864 | 246 |
| 43 | Kansas | $60,427 | $44,000 | 2,913,123 | 328 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $60,683 | $44,000 | 5,795,483 | 595 |
| 45 | Missouri | $60,985 | $44,000 | 6,113,532 | 570 |
| 46 | Montana | $59,514 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 135 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $57,168 | $41,000 | 579,315 | 74 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $58,756 | $43,000 | 4,454,189 | 306 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $58,693 | $43,000 | 5,024,369 | 440 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $57,023 | $41,000 | 2,984,100 | 138 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $54,683 | $40,000 | 3,004,279 | 219 |
Highest paying states for junior engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Junior Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $89,292 |
| 2 | California | $87,376 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $82,677 |
| 4 | Arizona | $73,696 |
| 5 | Oregon | $75,128 |
| 6 | Michigan | $71,510 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $82,203 |
| 8 | Virginia | $73,905 |
| 9 | Colorado | $73,226 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $73,305 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $79,203 |
| 12 | Texas | $70,513 |
| 13 | Vermont | $69,952 |
| 14 | Maryland | $71,819 |
| 15 | Maine | $74,264 |
| 16 | Nevada | $70,097 |
| 17 | Alaska | $77,494 |
| 18 | New York | $72,962 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $75,524 |
| 20 | Alabama | $67,513 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $70,870 |
| 22 | Illinois | $70,204 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $76,908 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $68,219 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $67,445 |
| 26 | Delaware | $67,450 |
| 27 | Idaho | $66,640 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $68,586 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $67,651 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $69,613 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $67,341 |
| 32 | Ohio | $64,889 |
| 33 | Georgia | $67,296 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $63,551 |
| 35 | Indiana | $63,797 |
| 36 | Utah | $61,483 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $62,365 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $63,164 |
| 39 | Iowa | $62,341 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $61,026 |
| 41 | Florida | $62,813 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $62,331 |
| 43 | Kansas | $60,427 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $60,683 |
| 45 | Missouri | $60,985 |
| 46 | Montana | $59,514 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $57,168 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $58,756 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $58,693 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $57,023 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $54,683 |
Expert opinions on the best states for junior engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for junior engineers to find work opportunities?
Jared Wilson
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator, East Tennessee State University
Within the field of land surveying and related employment opportunities, work is available. However, in my experience, work may not be in the exact location a person wishes to live. So, a move may be necessary, or potentially traveling to where the work is located. Should a graduate, or person for that matter, want to work, work is available.
Junior engineer best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
Search for junior engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025