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Best states for a master
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for masters? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for master 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.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of masters in America is $127,000.
In order to get you the best states for masters, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Virginia is the best state, and Arlington is the city with the highest pay for masters.
10 best states for masters in 2026
1. Virginia
Total master jobs: 471 Average annual salary: $95,676 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location Quotient: 2.75
2. Texas
Total master jobs: 397 Average annual salary: $87,670 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
3. New Jersey
Total master jobs: 130 Average annual salary: $93,372 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
4. Connecticut
Total master jobs: 64 Average annual salary: $84,252 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
5. West Virginia
Total master jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $87,604 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
6. Georgia
Total master jobs: 195 Average annual salary: $80,228 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
7. Michigan
Total master jobs: 106 Average annual salary: $82,595 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
8. Pennsylvania
Total master jobs: 156 Average annual salary: $80,617 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
9. Massachusetts
Total master jobs: 167 Average annual salary: $79,772 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 1
10. Kentucky
Total master jobs: 46 Average annual salary: $79,826 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
Master jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a master
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a master
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $95,676 | $54,000 | 8,470,020 | 471 |
| 2 | Texas | $87,670 | $48,000 | 28,304,596 | 397 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $93,372 | $53,000 | 9,005,644 | 130 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $84,252 | $46,000 | 3,588,184 | 64 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $87,604 | $49,000 | 1,815,857 | 21 |
| 6 | Georgia | $80,228 | $45,000 | 10,429,379 | 195 |
| 7 | Michigan | $82,595 | $45,000 | 9,962,311 | 106 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $80,617 | $45,000 | 12,805,537 | 156 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $79,772 | $43,000 | 6,859,819 | 167 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $79,826 | $44,000 | 4,454,189 | 46 |
| 11 | Indiana | $75,749 | $42,000 | 6,666,818 | 104 |
| 12 | California | $78,507 | $41,000 | 39,536,653 | 594 |
| 13 | Vermont | $74,861 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 14 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $71,092 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 11 |
| 15 | Maine | $75,374 | $40,000 | 1,335,907 | 18 |
| 16 | Missouri | $77,783 | $43,000 | 6,113,532 | 66 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $75,461 | $41,000 | 5,795,483 | 63 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $71,178 | $40,000 | 5,576,606 | 121 |
| 19 | Maryland | $71,650 | $40,000 | 6,052,177 | 148 |
| 20 | Ohio | $70,404 | $38,000 | 11,658,609 | 163 |
| 21 | Delaware | $69,326 | $38,000 | 961,939 | 34 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $68,994 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 26 |
| 23 | New York | $73,449 | $40,000 | 19,849,399 | 204 |
| 24 | Idaho | $72,886 | $38,000 | 1,716,943 | 21 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $70,418 | $37,000 | 2,088,070 | 31 |
| 26 | Arizona | $66,153 | $35,000 | 7,016,270 | 130 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $71,328 | $39,000 | 6,715,984 | 57 |
| 28 | Washington | $74,481 | $39,000 | 7,405,743 | 76 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $67,742 | $37,000 | 693,972 | 62 |
| 30 | Colorado | $66,103 | $36,000 | 5,607,154 | 139 |
| 31 | Iowa | $70,463 | $39,000 | 3,145,711 | 26 |
| 32 | Nevada | $62,704 | $32,000 | 2,998,039 | 61 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $63,122 | $35,000 | 10,273,419 | 187 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $63,884 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 36 |
| 35 | Utah | $62,553 | $33,000 | 3,101,833 | 69 |
| 36 | Oregon | $67,650 | $35,000 | 4,142,776 | 59 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $64,614 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 12 |
| 38 | Kansas | $66,263 | $37,000 | 2,913,123 | 19 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $65,368 | $36,000 | 3,004,279 | 26 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $47,939 | $35,000 | 1,427,538 | 26 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $61,176 | $34,000 | 1,920,076 | 36 |
| 42 | Florida | $59,978 | $34,000 | 20,984,400 | 333 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $64,201 | $35,000 | 2,984,100 | 19 |
| 44 | Illinois | $60,900 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 212 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $59,635 | $33,000 | 3,930,864 | 37 |
| 46 | Alaska | $59,453 | $34,000 | 739,795 | 12 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $59,787 | $33,000 | 5,024,369 | 48 |
| 48 | Montana | $57,394 | $31,000 | 1,050,493 | 17 |
| 49 | Alabama | $53,014 | $29,000 | 4,874,747 | 67 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $59,003 | $32,000 | 4,684,333 | 32 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $55,591 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 12 |
Highest paying states for masters
| Rank | State | Avg. Master Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $95,676 |
| 2 | Texas | $87,670 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $93,372 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $84,252 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $87,604 |
| 6 | Georgia | $80,228 |
| 7 | Michigan | $82,595 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $80,617 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $79,772 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $79,826 |
| 11 | Indiana | $75,749 |
| 12 | California | $78,507 |
| 13 | Vermont | $74,861 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $71,092 |
| 15 | Maine | $75,374 |
| 16 | Missouri | $77,783 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $75,461 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $71,178 |
| 19 | Maryland | $71,650 |
| 20 | Ohio | $70,404 |
| 21 | Delaware | $69,326 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $68,994 |
| 23 | New York | $73,449 |
| 24 | Idaho | $72,886 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $70,418 |
| 26 | Arizona | $66,153 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $71,328 |
| 28 | Washington | $74,481 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $67,742 |
| 30 | Colorado | $66,103 |
| 31 | Iowa | $70,463 |
| 32 | Nevada | $62,704 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $63,122 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $63,884 |
| 35 | Utah | $62,553 |
| 36 | Oregon | $67,650 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $64,614 |
| 38 | Kansas | $66,263 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $65,368 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $47,939 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $61,176 |
| 42 | Florida | $59,978 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $64,201 |
| 44 | Illinois | $60,900 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $59,635 |
| 46 | Alaska | $59,453 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $59,787 |
| 48 | Montana | $57,394 |
| 49 | Alabama | $53,014 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $59,003 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $55,591 |
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Updated January 8, 2025