Best states for a laboratory instructor

Q: What is the best state for laboratory instructors?

The best state to be a laboratory instructor is Michigan based on laboratory instructor salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for laboratory instructors?

The highest paying state for laboratory instructors is Idaho based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for laboratory instructors?

The worst state for laboratory instructors is Oklahoma, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Dr. Carrie Kondor

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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for laboratory instructors? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for laboratory instructor 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.Our research found that Michigan is the best state for laboratory instructors, while Massachusetts and Minnesota are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Michigan has a median salary of $64,846 and Massachusetts has the highest median salary among all 50 states for laboratory instructors.

We figured that the best places for laboratory instructor jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as a laboratory instructor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for laboratory instructors in 2026

1. Michigan
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 1,048
Average annual salary: $64,846
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Laboratory instructor jobs in Michigan
2. Minnesota
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 814
Average annual salary: $65,122
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Laboratory instructor jobs in Minnesota
3. New Jersey
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 997
Average annual salary: $62,900
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Laboratory instructor jobs in New Jersey
4. Massachusetts
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 943
Average annual salary: $70,082
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Laboratory instructor jobs in Massachusetts
5. Iowa
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 481
Average annual salary: $56,643
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000
Location Quotient:
1.23
Laboratory instructor jobs in Iowa
6. North Dakota
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 115
Average annual salary: $57,041
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Laboratory instructor jobs in North Dakota
7. North Carolina
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 1,175
Average annual salary: $55,467
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Laboratory instructor jobs in North Carolina
8. Wisconsin
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 558
Average annual salary: $59,525
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Laboratory instructor jobs in Wisconsin
9. Vermont
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 99
Average annual salary: $52,993
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
1.2
Laboratory instructor jobs in Vermont
10. Pennsylvania
Total laboratory instructor jobs: 1,060
Average annual salary: $57,895
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Laboratory instructor jobs in Pennsylvania

Laboratory instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a laboratory instructor

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

Detailed list of the best states for a laboratory instructor

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Michigan	$64,846	$40,000	9,962,311	1,048
2	Minnesota	$65,122	$40,000	5,576,606	814
3	New Jersey	$62,900	$39,000	9,005,644	997
4	Massachusetts	$70,082	$45,000	6,859,819	943
5	Iowa	$56,643	$34,000	3,145,711	481
6	North Dakota	$57,041	$35,000	755,393	115
7	North Carolina	$55,467	$32,000	10,273,419	1,175
8	Wisconsin	$59,525	$37,000	5,795,483	558
9	Vermont	$52,993	$34,000	623,657	99
10	Pennsylvania	$57,895	$36,000	12,805,537	1,060
11	Delaware	$56,548	$35,000	961,939	123
12	New Hampshire	$51,961	$34,000	1,342,795	208
13	New York	$54,428	$34,000	19,849,399	1,490
14	West Virginia	$50,091	$30,000	1,815,857	165
15	California	$51,099	$25,000	39,536,653	3,895
16	Oregon	$51,356	$28,000	4,142,776	463
17	Washington	$52,756	$29,000	7,405,743	753
18	District of Columbia	$61,866	$37,000	693,972	90
19	Alaska	$49,574	$31,000	739,795	108
20	South Dakota	$45,568	$27,000	869,666	157
21	Maine	$50,291	$33,000	1,335,907	143
22	Indiana	$51,731	$31,000	6,666,818	520
23	Virginia	$51,658	$30,000	8,470,020	958
24	Kentucky	$48,461	$28,000	4,454,189	353
25	Rhode Island	$52,421	$34,000	1,059,639	84
26	Maryland	$49,387	$30,000	6,052,177	711
27	Colorado	$44,140	$25,000	5,607,154	805
28	Nebraska	$48,705	$29,000	1,920,076	190
29	Hawaii	$47,600	$41,000	1,427,538	108
30	Wyoming	$42,294	$24,000	579,315	82
31	Tennessee	$45,896	$25,000	6,715,984	517
32	Ohio	$46,408	$28,000	11,658,609	892
33	Connecticut	$51,020	$32,000	3,588,184	280
34	Montana	$40,031	$23,000	1,050,493	160
35	Kansas	$43,583	$25,000	2,913,123	310
36	Missouri	$47,136	$27,000	6,113,532	468
37	Alabama	$43,433	$23,000	4,874,747	388
38	Illinois	$44,301	$27,000	12,802,023	1,120
39	Georgia	$40,007	$21,000	10,429,379	1,106
40	Louisiana	$38,468	$19,000	4,684,333	328
41	Mississippi	$39,737	$21,000	2,984,100	201
42	South Carolina	$36,462	$20,000	5,024,369	549
43	Arkansas	$41,175	$22,000	3,004,279	228
44	Florida	$36,036	$18,000	20,984,400	1,919
45	Nevada	$35,476	$18,000	2,998,039	247
46	Texas	$38,175	$19,000	28,304,596	1,741
47	New Mexico	$37,383	$19,000	2,088,070	195
48	Arizona	$34,286	$17,000	7,016,270	665
49	Utah	$37,038	$20,000	3,101,833	306
50	Idaho	$33,508	$18,000	1,716,943	180
51	Oklahoma	$37,608	$20,000	3,930,864	230

Highest paying states for laboratory instructors

Rank	State	Avg. Laboratory Instructor Salary
1	Michigan	$64,846
2	Minnesota	$65,122
3	New Jersey	$62,900
4	Massachusetts	$70,082
5	Iowa	$56,643
6	North Dakota	$57,041
7	North Carolina	$55,467
8	Wisconsin	$59,525
9	Vermont	$52,993
10	Pennsylvania	$57,895
11	Delaware	$56,548
12	New Hampshire	$51,961
13	New York	$54,428
14	West Virginia	$50,091
15	California	$51,099
16	Oregon	$51,356
17	Washington	$52,756
18	District of Columbia	$61,866
19	Alaska	$49,574
20	South Dakota	$45,568
21	Maine	$50,291
22	Indiana	$51,731
23	Virginia	$51,658
24	Kentucky	$48,461
25	Rhode Island	$52,421
26	Maryland	$49,387
27	Colorado	$44,140
28	Nebraska	$48,705
29	Hawaii	$47,600
30	Wyoming	$42,294
31	Tennessee	$45,896
32	Ohio	$46,408
33	Connecticut	$51,020
34	Montana	$40,031
35	Kansas	$43,583
36	Missouri	$47,136
37	Alabama	$43,433
38	Illinois	$44,301
39	Georgia	$40,007
40	Louisiana	$38,468
41	Mississippi	$39,737
42	South Carolina	$36,462
43	Arkansas	$41,175
44	Florida	$36,036
45	Nevada	$35,476
46	Texas	$38,175
47	New Mexico	$37,383
48	Arizona	$34,286
49	Utah	$37,038
50	Idaho	$33,508
51	Oklahoma	$37,608

Expert opinions on the best states for laboratory instructors

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for laboratory instructors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Carrie Kondor
Director, Linfield University
Still, I can say that I believe graduates will find more job possibilities than before, given the broader continuum of teaching environments that this pandemic has opened up!

Laboratory instructor best states FAQs

What is the best state for laboratory instructors?

What is the highest paying state for laboratory instructors?

What is the worst state for laboratory instructors?

Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.

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Laboratory Instructor
Best states for Laboratory Instructors

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total laboratory instructor jobs:	1,048
Average annual salary:	$64,846
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$40,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$103,000
Location Quotient:	1.26

Best states for a laboratory instructor

10 best states for laboratory instructors in 2026

1. Michigan

2. Minnesota

3. New Jersey

4. Massachusetts

5. Iowa

6. North Dakota

7. North Carolina

8. Wisconsin

9. Vermont

10. Pennsylvania