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Best states for a junior research fellow
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and life, physical, and social science careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to junior research fellow jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for junior research fellows.In order to help you decide which state is the best for junior research fellows, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for junior research fellow jobs.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for junior research fellows. New Jersey is the best state for junior research fellows, where the median salary is $98,184.We found that New Jersey is the best state for junior research fellow jobs, whereas Louisiana is the worst.
10 best states for junior research fellows in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total junior research fellow jobs: 1,058 Average annual salary: $98,184 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
2. California
Total junior research fellow jobs: 4,677 Average annual salary: $88,825 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
3. Tennessee
Total junior research fellow jobs: 680 Average annual salary: $91,037 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
4. Connecticut
Total junior research fellow jobs: 358 Average annual salary: $97,483 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
5. Rhode Island
Total junior research fellow jobs: 174 Average annual salary: $75,965 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
6. Delaware
Total junior research fellow jobs: 140 Average annual salary: $85,123 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
7. Virginia
Total junior research fellow jobs: 1,256 Average annual salary: $75,132 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
8. Pennsylvania
Total junior research fellow jobs: 1,520 Average annual salary: $71,383 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
9. North Carolina
Total junior research fellow jobs: 918 Average annual salary: $78,665 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
10. Illinois
Total junior research fellow jobs: 1,267 Average annual salary: $74,371 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
Junior research fellow jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a junior research fellow
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a junior research fellow
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $98,184 | $68,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,058 |
| 2 | California | $88,825 | $58,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,677 |
| 3 | Tennessee | $91,037 | $63,000 | 6,715,984 | 680 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $97,483 | $68,000 | 3,588,184 | 358 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $75,965 | $53,000 | 1,059,639 | 174 |
| 6 | Delaware | $85,123 | $59,000 | 961,939 | 140 |
| 7 | Virginia | $75,132 | $52,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,256 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $71,383 | $49,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,520 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $78,665 | $54,000 | 10,273,419 | 918 |
| 10 | Illinois | $74,371 | $52,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,267 |
| 11 | Maine | $72,415 | $51,000 | 1,335,907 | 141 |
| 12 | Indiana | $78,832 | $55,000 | 6,666,818 | 565 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $67,853 | $47,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,925 |
| 14 | Maryland | $72,957 | $50,000 | 6,052,177 | 795 |
| 15 | Arizona | $68,998 | $47,000 | 7,016,270 | 616 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $69,717 | $48,000 | 693,972 | 266 |
| 17 | Vermont | $60,352 | $42,000 | 623,657 | 122 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $64,303 | $45,000 | 5,576,606 | 734 |
| 19 | Oregon | $62,143 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 654 |
| 20 | New York | $65,056 | $45,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,513 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $75,403 | $62,000 | 1,427,538 | 77 |
| 22 | Michigan | $58,603 | $40,000 | 9,962,311 | 870 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $58,734 | $41,000 | 869,666 | 113 |
| 24 | Alaska | $68,407 | $49,000 | 739,795 | 51 |
| 25 | Ohio | $59,152 | $41,000 | 11,658,609 | 990 |
| 26 | Nevada | $62,529 | $41,000 | 2,998,039 | 151 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $64,689 | $45,000 | 5,795,483 | 0 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $57,427 | $40,000 | 1,342,795 | 223 |
| 29 | Montana | $59,937 | $41,000 | 1,050,493 | 111 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $61,845 | $43,000 | 579,315 | 0 |
| 31 | Colorado | $58,082 | $40,000 | 5,607,154 | 771 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $55,680 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 251 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $57,992 | $40,000 | 3,004,279 | 167 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $57,434 | $39,000 | 3,930,864 | 276 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $57,693 | $40,000 | 4,454,189 | 237 |
| 36 | Idaho | $54,458 | $36,000 | 1,716,943 | 161 |
| 37 | Missouri | $53,377 | $37,000 | 6,113,532 | 600 |
| 38 | Georgia | $55,230 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 907 |
| 39 | Florida | $54,144 | $37,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,585 |
| 40 | Alabama | $54,917 | $37,000 | 4,874,747 | 287 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $51,235 | $35,000 | 2,088,070 | 216 |
| 42 | Kansas | $52,677 | $36,000 | 2,913,123 | 270 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $49,947 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 145 |
| 44 | Utah | $41,704 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 428 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $50,035 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 86 |
| 46 | Washington | $54,207 | $35,000 | 7,405,743 | 0 |
| 47 | Texas | $45,322 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,019 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $50,649 | $34,000 | 5,024,369 | 244 |
| 49 | Iowa | $47,723 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 241 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $45,011 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 151 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $43,361 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 236 |
Highest paying states for junior research fellows
| Rank | State | Avg. Junior Research Fellow Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $98,184 |
| 2 | California | $88,825 |
| 3 | Tennessee | $91,037 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $97,483 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $75,965 |
| 6 | Delaware | $85,123 |
| 7 | Virginia | $75,132 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $71,383 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $78,665 |
| 10 | Illinois | $74,371 |
| 11 | Maine | $72,415 |
| 12 | Indiana | $78,832 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $67,853 |
| 14 | Maryland | $72,957 |
| 15 | Arizona | $68,998 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $69,717 |
| 17 | Vermont | $60,352 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $64,303 |
| 19 | Oregon | $62,143 |
| 20 | New York | $65,056 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $75,403 |
| 22 | Michigan | $58,603 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $58,734 |
| 24 | Alaska | $68,407 |
| 25 | Ohio | $59,152 |
| 26 | Nevada | $62,529 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $64,689 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $57,427 |
| 29 | Montana | $59,937 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $61,845 |
| 31 | Colorado | $58,082 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $55,680 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $57,992 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $57,434 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $57,693 |
| 36 | Idaho | $54,458 |
| 37 | Missouri | $53,377 |
| 38 | Georgia | $55,230 |
| 39 | Florida | $54,144 |
| 40 | Alabama | $54,917 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $51,235 |
| 42 | Kansas | $52,677 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $49,947 |
| 44 | Utah | $41,704 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $50,035 |
| 46 | Washington | $54,207 |
| 47 | Texas | $45,322 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $50,649 |
| 49 | Iowa | $47,723 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $45,011 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $43,361 |
Expert opinions on the best states for junior research fellows
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for junior research fellows to find work opportunities?
Don Snyder
Associate Director, Industry Advising: STEM, William and Mary
Strong tech markets in the U.S. include Austin, Raleigh, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Columbus. Some markets are established in tech, while other markets are more up-and-coming. Smaller cities that may be "off the radar" include Huntsville and Tucson. Graduates need to look at different factors when exploring cities, including the cost of living. The dollar will go a lot further in Raleigh than in San Francisco. And some cities that were once more affordable may have a higher cost of living now due to the recent influx of residents.
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Updated January 8, 2025