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Best states for a mental health worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for mental health workers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for mental health worker 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.We wanted to look at the best states for mental health workers -- where there are plenty of mental health worker jobs to go around and mental health workers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
In order to get you the best states for mental health workers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that California is the best state for mental health worker jobs, whereas Montana is the worst.
10 best states for mental health workers in 2026
1. California
Total mental health worker jobs: 7,588 Average annual salary: $53,576 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
2. New Hampshire
Total mental health worker jobs: 407 Average annual salary: $45,560 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
3. North Carolina
Total mental health worker jobs: 2,541 Average annual salary: $43,047 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
4. Washington
Total mental health worker jobs: 1,559 Average annual salary: $48,447 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
5. Connecticut
Total mental health worker jobs: 651 Average annual salary: $48,104 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
6. Louisiana
Total mental health worker jobs: 897 Average annual salary: $38,272 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
7. Delaware
Total mental health worker jobs: 250 Average annual salary: $45,786 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1
8. New Jersey
Total mental health worker jobs: 855 Average annual salary: $52,619 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.54
9. New York
Total mental health worker jobs: 1,617 Average annual salary: $53,076 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
10. Texas
Total mental health worker jobs: 4,475 Average annual salary: $40,730 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
Mental health worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a mental health worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a mental health worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $53,576 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,588 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $45,560 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 407 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $43,047 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,541 |
| 4 | Washington | $48,447 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,559 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $48,104 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 651 |
| 6 | Louisiana | $38,272 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 897 |
| 7 | Delaware | $45,786 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 250 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $52,619 | $35,000 | 9,005,644 | 855 |
| 9 | New York | $53,076 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,617 |
| 10 | Texas | $40,730 | $27,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,475 |
| 11 | Nevada | $46,647 | $30,000 | 2,998,039 | 292 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $50,981 | $34,000 | 693,972 | 249 |
| 13 | Oregon | $41,942 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 872 |
| 14 | Iowa | $41,813 | $30,000 | 3,145,711 | 610 |
| 15 | Maine | $39,786 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 269 |
| 16 | Vermont | $39,954 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 153 |
| 17 | Utah | $37,530 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 709 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $39,530 | $29,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,281 |
| 19 | Maryland | $39,994 | $26,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,356 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $40,230 | $31,000 | 755,393 | 129 |
| 21 | Idaho | $35,357 | $24,000 | 1,716,943 | 450 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $37,300 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 387 |
| 23 | Michigan | $35,539 | $25,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,692 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $36,161 | $25,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,419 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $38,319 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 187 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $36,997 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 870 |
| 27 | Arizona | $36,603 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,111 |
| 28 | Alaska | $35,584 | $29,000 | 739,795 | 193 |
| 29 | Alabama | $33,325 | $23,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,013 |
| 30 | Colorado | $35,175 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,372 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $35,872 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 309 |
| 32 | Illinois | $37,675 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,082 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $31,435 | $23,000 | 869,666 | 269 |
| 34 | Virginia | $34,021 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,067 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $34,055 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,096 |
| 36 | Indiana | $32,927 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,343 |
| 37 | Florida | $34,259 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,983 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $35,379 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 170 |
| 39 | Missouri | $31,052 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,628 |
| 40 | Ohio | $33,574 | $23,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,823 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $34,514 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 89 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $29,826 | $20,000 | 3,930,864 | 808 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $33,487 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 90 |
| 44 | Kansas | $33,644 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 389 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $32,885 | $22,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,602 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $30,086 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 914 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $23,392 | $16,000 | 1,920,076 | 546 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $30,757 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 569 |
| 49 | Georgia | $29,337 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,856 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $24,195 | $16,000 | 3,004,279 | 483 |
| 51 | Montana | $27,941 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 117 |
Highest paying states for mental health workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Mental Health Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $53,576 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $45,560 |
| 3 | North Carolina | $43,047 |
| 4 | Washington | $48,447 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $48,104 |
| 6 | Louisiana | $38,272 |
| 7 | Delaware | $45,786 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $52,619 |
| 9 | New York | $53,076 |
| 10 | Texas | $40,730 |
| 11 | Nevada | $46,647 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $50,981 |
| 13 | Oregon | $41,942 |
| 14 | Iowa | $41,813 |
| 15 | Maine | $39,786 |
| 16 | Vermont | $39,954 |
| 17 | Utah | $37,530 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $39,530 |
| 19 | Maryland | $39,994 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $40,230 |
| 21 | Idaho | $35,357 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $37,300 |
| 23 | Michigan | $35,539 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $36,161 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $38,319 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $36,997 |
| 27 | Arizona | $36,603 |
| 28 | Alaska | $35,584 |
| 29 | Alabama | $33,325 |
| 30 | Colorado | $35,175 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $35,872 |
| 32 | Illinois | $37,675 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $31,435 |
| 34 | Virginia | $34,021 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $34,055 |
| 36 | Indiana | $32,927 |
| 37 | Florida | $34,259 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $35,379 |
| 39 | Missouri | $31,052 |
| 40 | Ohio | $33,574 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $34,514 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $29,826 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $33,487 |
| 44 | Kansas | $33,644 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $32,885 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $30,086 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $23,392 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $30,757 |
| 49 | Georgia | $29,337 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $24,195 |
| 51 | Montana | $27,941 |
Expert opinions on the best states for mental health workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for mental health workers to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
Mental health worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025