Best states for a neonatologist

Q: What is the best state for neonatologists?

The best state to be a neonatologist is North Dakota based on neonatologist salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for neonatologists?

The highest paying state for neonatologists is Hawaii based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for neonatologists?

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

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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for neonatologists? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for neonatologist jobs.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of neonatologists in America is $616,000.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for neonatologists.North Dakota is the best state, and Grand Forks is the city with the highest pay for neonatologists.

10 best states for neonatologists in 2026

1. North Dakota
Total neonatologist jobs: 14
Average annual salary: $192,135
Lowest 10 percent earn: $130,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $282,000
Location Quotient:
2.42
Neonatologist jobs in North Dakota
2. Wisconsin
Total neonatologist jobs: 74
Average annual salary: $187,066
Lowest 10 percent earn: $125,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $279,000
Location Quotient:
2.15
Neonatologist jobs in Wisconsin
3. Alaska
Total neonatologist jobs: 7
Average annual salary: $191,899
Lowest 10 percent earn: $131,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $280,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Neonatologist jobs in Alaska
4. Michigan
Total neonatologist jobs: 48
Average annual salary: $180,566
Lowest 10 percent earn: $118,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $274,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Neonatologist jobs in Michigan
5. Minnesota
Total neonatologist jobs: 44
Average annual salary: $184,968
Lowest 10 percent earn: $123,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $277,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Neonatologist jobs in Minnesota
6. Nebraska
Total neonatologist jobs: 29
Average annual salary: $170,126
Lowest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $268,000
Location Quotient:
2.1
Neonatologist jobs in Nebraska
7. Iowa
Total neonatologist jobs: 22
Average annual salary: $177,657
Lowest 10 percent earn: $115,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $273,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Neonatologist jobs in Iowa
8. New Hampshire
Total neonatologist jobs: 22
Average annual salary: $167,747
Lowest 10 percent earn: $105,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $266,000
Location Quotient:
2.02
Neonatologist jobs in New Hampshire
9. Montana
Total neonatologist jobs: 8
Average annual salary: $170,756
Lowest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $270,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Neonatologist jobs in Montana
10. Connecticut
Total neonatologist jobs: 33
Average annual salary: $172,043
Lowest 10 percent earn: $110,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $268,000
Location Quotient:
1.6
Neonatologist jobs in Connecticut

Neonatologist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a neonatologist

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

Detailed list of the best states for a neonatologist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	North Dakota	$192,135	$130,000	755,393	14
2	Wisconsin	$187,066	$125,000	5,795,483	74
3	Alaska	$191,899	$131,000	739,795	7
4	Michigan	$180,566	$118,000	9,962,311	48
5	Minnesota	$184,968	$123,000	5,576,606	44
6	Nebraska	$170,126	$107,000	1,920,076	29
7	Iowa	$177,657	$115,000	3,145,711	22
8	New Hampshire	$167,747	$105,000	1,342,795	22
9	Montana	$170,756	$107,000	1,050,493	8
10	Connecticut	$172,043	$110,000	3,588,184	33
11	Indiana	$176,052	$114,000	6,666,818	33
12	Pennsylvania	$164,603	$103,000	12,805,537	138
13	South Dakota	$174,675	$112,000	869,666	4
14	Maine	$161,695	$99,000	1,335,907	30
15	West Virginia	$167,689	$106,000	1,815,857	8
16	Ohio	$165,365	$104,000	11,658,609	60
17	Washington	$163,782	$101,000	7,405,743	62
18	Illinois	$165,655	$104,000	12,802,023	62
19	Kentucky	$167,698	$106,000	4,454,189	9
20	Rhode Island	$165,238	$103,000	1,059,639	5
21	Utah	$162,443	$100,000	3,101,833	13
22	Oregon	$158,571	$97,000	4,142,776	39
23	Vermont	$156,829	$95,000	623,657	6
24	Maryland	$165,481	$104,000	6,052,177	36
25	North Carolina	$152,557	$92,000	10,273,419	70
26	New York	$159,074	$98,000	19,849,399	144
27	Wyoming	$160,364	$98,000	579,315	2
28	Delaware	$155,910	$95,000	961,939	9
29	Tennessee	$150,723	$90,000	6,715,984	35
30	New Jersey	$163,757	$102,000	9,005,644	40
31	Missouri	$157,478	$96,000	6,113,532	22
32	Massachusetts	$159,801	$98,000	6,859,819	44
33	Mississippi	$144,718	$85,000	2,984,100	15
34	Georgia	$150,161	$89,000	10,429,379	63
35	Nevada	$144,457	$85,000	2,998,039	23
36	Virginia	$153,252	$93,000	8,470,020	52
37	New Mexico	$142,756	$84,000	2,088,070	18
38	Arizona	$145,079	$86,000	7,016,270	39
39	District of Columbia	$162,090	$101,000	693,972	0
40	Idaho	$148,081	$87,000	1,716,943	6
41	California	$154,883	$95,000	39,536,653	129
42	Kansas	$149,078	$88,000	2,913,123	5
43	Colorado	$152,965	$92,000	5,607,154	18
44	Hawaii	$87,255	$43,000	1,427,538	11
45	Alabama	$143,546	$84,000	4,874,747	12
46	South Carolina	$144,029	$84,000	5,024,369	16
47	Arkansas	$135,755	$78,000	3,004,279	12
48	Louisiana	$131,006	$74,000	4,684,333	17
49	Texas	$136,035	$78,000	28,304,596	82
50	Florida	$122,551	$66,000	20,984,400	82
51	Oklahoma	$136,173	$78,000	3,930,864	5

Highest paying states for neonatologists

Rank	State	Avg. Neonatologist Salary
1	North Dakota	$192,135
2	Wisconsin	$187,066
3	Alaska	$191,899
4	Michigan	$180,566
5	Minnesota	$184,968
6	Nebraska	$170,126
7	Iowa	$177,657
8	New Hampshire	$167,747
9	Montana	$170,756
10	Connecticut	$172,043
11	Indiana	$176,052
12	Pennsylvania	$164,603
13	South Dakota	$174,675
14	Maine	$161,695
15	West Virginia	$167,689
16	Ohio	$165,365
17	Washington	$163,782
18	Illinois	$165,655
19	Kentucky	$167,698
20	Rhode Island	$165,238
21	Utah	$162,443
22	Oregon	$158,571
23	Vermont	$156,829
24	Maryland	$165,481
25	North Carolina	$152,557
26	New York	$159,074
27	Wyoming	$160,364
28	Delaware	$155,910
29	Tennessee	$150,723
30	New Jersey	$163,757
31	Missouri	$157,478
32	Massachusetts	$159,801
33	Mississippi	$144,718
34	Georgia	$150,161
35	Nevada	$144,457
36	Virginia	$153,252
37	New Mexico	$142,756
38	Arizona	$145,079
39	District of Columbia	$162,090
40	Idaho	$148,081
41	California	$154,883
42	Kansas	$149,078
43	Colorado	$152,965
44	Hawaii	$87,255
45	Alabama	$143,546
46	South Carolina	$144,029
47	Arkansas	$135,755
48	Louisiana	$131,006
49	Texas	$136,035
50	Florida	$122,551
51	Oklahoma	$136,173

Neonatologist best states FAQs

What is the best state for neonatologists?

What is the highest paying state for neonatologists?

What is the worst state for neonatologists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.

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Neonatologist
Best states for Neonatologists

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total neonatologist jobs:	14
Average annual salary:	$192,135
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$130,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$282,000
Location Quotient:	2.42

Best states for a neonatologist

10 best states for neonatologists in 2026

1. North Dakota

2. Wisconsin

3. Alaska

4. Michigan

5. Minnesota

6. Nebraska

7. Iowa

8. New Hampshire

9. Montana

10. Connecticut