Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a junior manufacturing engineer
Quoted expert
Jonathan Puthoff
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Junior manufacturing engineer opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for junior manufacturing engineers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for junior manufacturing engineers.Our research found that California is the best state for junior manufacturing engineers, while California and Idaho are ranked highest in terms of median salary. California has a median salary of $74,281 and California has the highest median salary among all 50 states for junior manufacturing engineers.
The median salary for junior manufacturing engineers in California is $74,281. Compare that to the median salary in Kansas of $47,055, which ranked worst for junior manufacturing engineers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that California is the best state for junior manufacturing engineer jobs, whereas Kansas is the worst.
10 best states for junior manufacturing engineers in 2025
1. California
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 8,222 Average annual salary: $74,281 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.49
2. Arizona
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 1,157 Average annual salary: $68,404 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
3. Delaware
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 238 Average annual salary: $69,695 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. Washington
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 1,432 Average annual salary: $69,667 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
5. Colorado
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 1,182 Average annual salary: $68,747 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
6. Virginia
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 2,131 Average annual salary: $68,569 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
7. Idaho
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 261 Average annual salary: $71,595 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
8. Alabama
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 924 Average annual salary: $63,158 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
9. New Mexico
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 281 Average annual salary: $70,030 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
10. Massachusetts
Total junior manufacturing engineer jobs: 2,150 Average annual salary: $65,525 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
Junior manufacturing engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a junior manufacturing engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a junior manufacturing engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $74,281 | $51,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,222 |
| 2 | Arizona | $68,404 | $49,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,157 |
| 3 | Delaware | $69,695 | $49,000 | 961,939 | 238 |
| 4 | Washington | $69,667 | $49,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,432 |
| 5 | Colorado | $68,747 | $49,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,182 |
| 6 | Virginia | $68,569 | $48,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,131 |
| 7 | Idaho | $71,595 | $50,000 | 1,716,943 | 261 |
| 8 | Alabama | $63,158 | $45,000 | 4,874,747 | 924 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $70,030 | $50,000 | 2,088,070 | 281 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $65,525 | $47,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,150 |
| 11 | Texas | $65,062 | $46,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,603 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $64,946 | $47,000 | 1,059,639 | 221 |
| 13 | Maryland | $67,210 | $48,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,592 |
| 14 | Oregon | $62,577 | $44,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,008 |
| 15 | Illinois | $65,065 | $47,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,938 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $63,397 | $45,000 | 3,588,184 | 642 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $59,565 | $42,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,985 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $61,399 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,960 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $60,286 | $44,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,351 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $60,067 | $43,000 | 579,315 | 99 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $58,666 | $42,000 | 1,815,857 | 252 |
| 22 | Michigan | $56,633 | $40,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,719 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $65,231 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,139 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $64,037 | $45,000 | 693,972 | 322 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $56,882 | $41,000 | 5,795,483 | 950 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $58,937 | $42,000 | 2,984,100 | 294 |
| 27 | Utah | $55,379 | $39,000 | 3,101,833 | 756 |
| 28 | Maine | $60,213 | $44,000 | 1,335,907 | 169 |
| 29 | Ohio | $54,952 | $39,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,964 |
| 30 | New York | $61,506 | $44,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,123 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $54,489 | $40,000 | 1,342,795 | 365 |
| 32 | Montana | $58,396 | $41,000 | 1,050,493 | 131 |
| 33 | Georgia | $56,810 | $40,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,583 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $54,964 | $39,000 | 5,024,369 | 750 |
| 35 | Vermont | $56,724 | $41,000 | 623,657 | 126 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $53,363 | $38,000 | 4,454,189 | 626 |
| 37 | Florida | $57,137 | $40,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,318 |
| 38 | Alaska | $59,158 | $48,000 | 739,795 | 72 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $55,252 | $40,000 | 1,920,076 | 302 |
| 40 | Nevada | $53,242 | $37,000 | 2,998,039 | 330 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $55,099 | $39,000 | 4,684,333 | 365 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $52,035 | $37,000 | 6,715,984 | 860 |
| 43 | Indiana | $49,814 | $36,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,148 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $52,906 | $38,000 | 869,666 | 88 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $55,946 | $45,000 | 1,427,538 | 77 |
| 46 | Iowa | $50,930 | $37,000 | 3,145,711 | 555 |
| 47 | Missouri | $53,118 | $38,000 | 6,113,532 | 777 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $45,796 | $33,000 | 755,393 | 154 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $49,227 | $35,000 | 3,004,279 | 337 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $50,429 | $36,000 | 3,930,864 | 350 |
| 51 | Kansas | $47,055 | $34,000 | 2,913,123 | 399 |
Highest paying states for junior manufacturing engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Junior Manufacturing Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $74,281 |
| 2 | Arizona | $68,404 |
| 3 | Delaware | $69,695 |
| 4 | Washington | $69,667 |
| 5 | Colorado | $68,747 |
| 6 | Virginia | $68,569 |
| 7 | Idaho | $71,595 |
| 8 | Alabama | $63,158 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $70,030 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $65,525 |
| 11 | Texas | $65,062 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $64,946 |
| 13 | Maryland | $67,210 |
| 14 | Oregon | $62,577 |
| 15 | Illinois | $65,065 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $63,397 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $59,565 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $61,399 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $60,286 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $60,067 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $58,666 |
| 22 | Michigan | $56,633 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $65,231 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $64,037 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $56,882 |
| 26 | Mississippi | $58,937 |
| 27 | Utah | $55,379 |
| 28 | Maine | $60,213 |
| 29 | Ohio | $54,952 |
| 30 | New York | $61,506 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $54,489 |
| 32 | Montana | $58,396 |
| 33 | Georgia | $56,810 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $54,964 |
| 35 | Vermont | $56,724 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $53,363 |
| 37 | Florida | $57,137 |
| 38 | Alaska | $59,158 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $55,252 |
| 40 | Nevada | $53,242 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $55,099 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $52,035 |
| 43 | Indiana | $49,814 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $52,906 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $55,946 |
| 46 | Iowa | $50,930 |
| 47 | Missouri | $53,118 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $45,796 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $49,227 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $50,429 |
| 51 | Kansas | $47,055 |
Expert opinions on the best states for junior manufacturing engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for junior manufacturing engineers to find work opportunities?
Jonathan Puthoff
Associate Professor, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
I always encourage students to look as far afield as their personal circumstances and skill set can accommodate. Geography is a relatively minor constraint in a world with well-developed travel and telework options. I also anticipate that early- and mid-career relocation will be an option or requirement at some point for most tech workers. For these reasons, I think that associating particular opportunities with particular regions might not be a good strategy in an entry-level job search. Graduates should rather identify opportunities and ask "Can I see myself working in this region for the opening years of my career?", understanding that the location will likely change depending on factors both internal and external to their employer.
Junior manufacturing engineer best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
Search for junior manufacturing engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025