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Best states for a news director
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you want to become a news director at CBS, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for news directors that you can check out, before you begin your journey. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for news director jobs.
The median salary for news directors in New York is $100,786. Compare that to the median salary in Ohio of $38,985, which ranked worst for news directors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for news directors, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for news director jobs, where as New York is the best state in the country.
10 best states for news directors in 2026
1. New York
Total news director jobs: 660 Average annual salary: $100,786 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
2. Massachusetts
Total news director jobs: 381 Average annual salary: $77,639 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. California
Total news director jobs: 885 Average annual salary: $76,571 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
4. New Jersey
Total news director jobs: 223 Average annual salary: $73,760 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
5. Connecticut
Total news director jobs: 88 Average annual salary: $68,932 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
6. District of Columbia
Total news director jobs: 124 Average annual salary: $67,346 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 2.3
7. Washington
Total news director jobs: 145 Average annual salary: $66,720 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 0.62
8. Vermont
Total news director jobs: 19 Average annual salary: $60,455 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
9. Maryland
Total news director jobs: 148 Average annual salary: $65,857 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
10. Oregon
Total news director jobs: 102 Average annual salary: $60,558 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
News director jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a news director
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a news director
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $100,786 | $64,000 | 19,849,399 | 660 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $77,639 | $50,000 | 6,859,819 | 381 |
| 3 | California | $76,571 | $48,000 | 39,536,653 | 885 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $73,760 | $47,000 | 9,005,644 | 223 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $68,932 | $44,000 | 3,588,184 | 88 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $67,346 | $43,000 | 693,972 | 124 |
| 7 | Washington | $66,720 | $44,000 | 7,405,743 | 145 |
| 8 | Vermont | $60,455 | $39,000 | 623,657 | 19 |
| 9 | Maryland | $65,857 | $42,000 | 6,052,177 | 148 |
| 10 | Oregon | $60,558 | $39,000 | 4,142,776 | 102 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $62,966 | $40,000 | 1,342,795 | 33 |
| 12 | Georgia | $58,868 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 237 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $57,277 | $36,000 | 12,805,537 | 244 |
| 14 | Nevada | $59,763 | $37,000 | 2,998,039 | 36 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $57,935 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 23 |
| 16 | Delaware | $60,561 | $38,000 | 961,939 | 21 |
| 17 | Alaska | $58,126 | $40,000 | 739,795 | 16 |
| 18 | Alabama | $50,836 | $32,000 | 4,874,747 | 523 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $52,161 | $35,000 | 579,315 | 14 |
| 20 | Texas | $52,892 | $33,000 | 28,304,596 | 471 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $49,364 | $32,000 | 3,930,864 | 453 |
| 22 | Michigan | $54,537 | $35,000 | 9,962,311 | 104 |
| 23 | Maine | $54,711 | $35,000 | 1,335,907 | 8 |
| 24 | Florida | $52,143 | $33,000 | 20,984,400 | 304 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $50,412 | $32,000 | 1,815,857 | 24 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $52,789 | $33,000 | 2,088,070 | 17 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $45,644 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 503 |
| 28 | Arizona | $49,978 | $31,000 | 7,016,270 | 112 |
| 29 | Idaho | $51,848 | $34,000 | 1,716,943 | 7 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $50,815 | $34,000 | 869,666 | 5 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $49,782 | $32,000 | 6,715,984 | 90 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $50,271 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 117 |
| 33 | Virginia | $47,091 | $30,000 | 8,470,020 | 290 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $45,052 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 308 |
| 35 | Montana | $50,486 | $34,000 | 1,050,493 | 18 |
| 36 | Utah | $50,636 | $33,000 | 3,101,833 | 34 |
| 37 | Iowa | $43,666 | $29,000 | 3,145,711 | 533 |
| 38 | Illinois | $45,468 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 295 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $45,589 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 20 |
| 40 | Indiana | $47,285 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 107 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $40,065 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 500 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $46,651 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 63 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $45,350 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 194 |
| 44 | Colorado | $45,983 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 130 |
| 45 | Kansas | $47,604 | $31,000 | 2,913,123 | 37 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $46,471 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 13 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $42,728 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 42 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $42,193 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 80 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $40,471 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 117 |
| 50 | Missouri | $42,359 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 102 |
| 51 | Ohio | $38,985 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 159 |
Highest paying states for news directors
| Rank | State | Avg. News Director Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $100,786 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $77,639 |
| 3 | California | $76,571 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $73,760 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $68,932 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $67,346 |
| 7 | Washington | $66,720 |
| 8 | Vermont | $60,455 |
| 9 | Maryland | $65,857 |
| 10 | Oregon | $60,558 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $62,966 |
| 12 | Georgia | $58,868 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $57,277 |
| 14 | Nevada | $59,763 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $57,935 |
| 16 | Delaware | $60,561 |
| 17 | Alaska | $58,126 |
| 18 | Alabama | $50,836 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $52,161 |
| 20 | Texas | $52,892 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $49,364 |
| 22 | Michigan | $54,537 |
| 23 | Maine | $54,711 |
| 24 | Florida | $52,143 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $50,412 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $52,789 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $45,644 |
| 28 | Arizona | $49,978 |
| 29 | Idaho | $51,848 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $50,815 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $49,782 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $50,271 |
| 33 | Virginia | $47,091 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $45,052 |
| 35 | Montana | $50,486 |
| 36 | Utah | $50,636 |
| 37 | Iowa | $43,666 |
| 38 | Illinois | $45,468 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $45,589 |
| 40 | Indiana | $47,285 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $40,065 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $46,651 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $45,350 |
| 44 | Colorado | $45,983 |
| 45 | Kansas | $47,604 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $46,471 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $42,728 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $42,193 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $40,471 |
| 50 | Missouri | $42,359 |
| 51 | Ohio | $38,985 |
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Updated January 8, 2025