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Best states for a military
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you want to become a military at United States Army Corps of Engineers, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for militaries that you can check out, before you begin your journey. In fact, our research shows that Alaska is the best state for militaries in America. The best city in America for militaries with the highest pay is Santa Clara, CA.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for militaries. Alaska is the best state for militaries, where the median salary is $78,650.Alaska is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for militaries.
10 best states for militaries in 2026
1. Alaska
Total military jobs: 46 Average annual salary: $78,650 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 3.13
2. Maine
Total military jobs: 43 Average annual salary: $59,924 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 1.84
3. Rhode Island
Total military jobs: 38 Average annual salary: $51,192 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.77
4. Delaware
Total military jobs: 38 Average annual salary: $50,760 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.72
5. Virginia
Total military jobs: 223 Average annual salary: $54,118 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
6. California
Total military jobs: 408 Average annual salary: $63,316 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
7. Wisconsin
Total military jobs: 94 Average annual salary: $55,484 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
8. Mississippi
Total military jobs: 63 Average annual salary: $47,781 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.69
9. New Jersey
Total military jobs: 98 Average annual salary: $63,833 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.7
10. New York
Total military jobs: 151 Average annual salary: $63,818 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.67
Military jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a military
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a military
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $78,650 | $40,000 | 739,795 | 46 |
| 2 | Maine | $59,924 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 43 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $51,192 | $24,000 | 1,059,639 | 38 |
| 4 | Delaware | $50,760 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 38 |
| 5 | Virginia | $54,118 | $26,000 | 8,470,020 | 223 |
| 6 | California | $63,316 | $30,000 | 39,536,653 | 408 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $55,484 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 94 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $47,781 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 63 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $63,833 | $30,000 | 9,005,644 | 98 |
| 10 | New York | $63,818 | $30,000 | 19,849,399 | 151 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $48,821 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 26 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $50,752 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 181 |
| 13 | Indiana | $53,629 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 91 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $44,908 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 80 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $51,950 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 58 |
| 16 | Arizona | $51,158 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 89 |
| 17 | Vermont | $45,583 | $22,000 | 623,657 | 30 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,471 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 34 |
| 19 | Maryland | $49,283 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 141 |
| 20 | Kansas | $43,398 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 91 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $48,623 | $23,000 | 693,972 | 50 |
| 22 | Illinois | $51,774 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 138 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $50,143 | $23,000 | 6,859,819 | 144 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $43,428 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 38 |
| 25 | Utah | $44,221 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 80 |
| 26 | Iowa | $44,045 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 79 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $46,555 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 153 |
| 28 | Ohio | $43,585 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 181 |
| 29 | Michigan | $45,061 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 108 |
| 30 | Nevada | $43,131 | $20,000 | 2,998,039 | 43 |
| 31 | Idaho | $42,972 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 35 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $37,580 | $19,000 | 4,454,189 | 128 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $39,794 | $19,000 | 2,088,070 | 59 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $36,498 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 24 |
| 35 | Washington | $44,398 | $22,000 | 7,405,743 | 102 |
| 36 | Missouri | $38,261 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 146 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $37,914 | $21,000 | 1,427,538 | 58 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $38,000 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 60 |
| 39 | Alabama | $34,926 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 124 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $35,171 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 123 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $33,833 | $18,000 | 869,666 | 29 |
| 42 | Montana | $31,664 | $16,000 | 1,050,493 | 42 |
| 43 | Texas | $39,624 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 223 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $38,416 | $21,000 | 5,576,606 | 84 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $34,184 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 53 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $36,394 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 68 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,127 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 248 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,212 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 59 |
| 49 | Oregon | $34,037 | $16,000 | 4,142,776 | 72 |
| 50 | Colorado | $32,154 | $16,000 | 5,607,154 | 116 |
| 51 | Georgia | $35,017 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 142 |
Highest paying states for militaries
| Rank | State | Avg. Military Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $78,650 |
| 2 | Maine | $59,924 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $51,192 |
| 4 | Delaware | $50,760 |
| 5 | Virginia | $54,118 |
| 6 | California | $63,316 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $55,484 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $47,781 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $63,833 |
| 10 | New York | $63,818 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $48,821 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $50,752 |
| 13 | Indiana | $53,629 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $44,908 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $51,950 |
| 16 | Arizona | $51,158 |
| 17 | Vermont | $45,583 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,471 |
| 19 | Maryland | $49,283 |
| 20 | Kansas | $43,398 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $48,623 |
| 22 | Illinois | $51,774 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $50,143 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $43,428 |
| 25 | Utah | $44,221 |
| 26 | Iowa | $44,045 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $46,555 |
| 28 | Ohio | $43,585 |
| 29 | Michigan | $45,061 |
| 30 | Nevada | $43,131 |
| 31 | Idaho | $42,972 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $37,580 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $39,794 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $36,498 |
| 35 | Washington | $44,398 |
| 36 | Missouri | $38,261 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $37,914 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $38,000 |
| 39 | Alabama | $34,926 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $35,171 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $33,833 |
| 42 | Montana | $31,664 |
| 43 | Texas | $39,624 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $38,416 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $34,184 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $36,394 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,127 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,212 |
| 49 | Oregon | $34,037 |
| 50 | Colorado | $32,154 |
| 51 | Georgia | $35,017 |
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Updated January 8, 2025