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Best states for an operations manager
Quoted expert
Marjolijn Van der Velde Ph.D.
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Operations manager opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for operations managers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for operations managers.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 operations manager jobs.
New Jersey is the best state for jobs for operations managers, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in New Jersey is $102,041, while the median pay in Mississippi is $53,059.We found that the South is best for operations managers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for operations manager jobs, where as New Jersey is the best state in the country.
10 best states for operations managers in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total operations manager jobs: 2,065 Average annual salary: $102,041 Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
2. Rhode Island
Total operations manager jobs: 316 Average annual salary: $96,631 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
3. Delaware
Total operations manager jobs: 282 Average annual salary: $108,230 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
4. Wisconsin
Total operations manager jobs: 1,394 Average annual salary: $90,517 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
5. District of Columbia
Total operations manager jobs: 420 Average annual salary: $101,048 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
6. Washington
Total operations manager jobs: 1,936 Average annual salary: $89,736 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
7. Alaska
Total operations manager jobs: 190 Average annual salary: $97,588 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
8. Connecticut
Total operations manager jobs: 676 Average annual salary: $101,301 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
9. Pennsylvania
Total operations manager jobs: 2,846 Average annual salary: $82,833 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
10. Michigan
Total operations manager jobs: 1,871 Average annual salary: $82,931 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location Quotient: 1
Operations manager jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an operations manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an operations manager
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $102,041 | $66,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,065 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $96,631 | $63,000 | 1,059,639 | 316 |
| 3 | Delaware | $108,230 | $69,000 | 961,939 | 282 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $90,517 | $57,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,394 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $101,048 | $64,000 | 693,972 | 420 |
| 6 | Washington | $89,736 | $52,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,936 |
| 7 | Alaska | $97,588 | $55,000 | 739,795 | 190 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $101,301 | $65,000 | 3,588,184 | 676 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $82,833 | $53,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,846 |
| 10 | Michigan | $82,931 | $52,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,871 |
| 11 | New York | $101,948 | $66,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,355 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $84,287 | $52,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,582 |
| 13 | California | $93,066 | $55,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,736 |
| 14 | Ohio | $79,766 | $50,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,458 |
| 15 | Nevada | $79,136 | $47,000 | 2,998,039 | 517 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $94,503 | $61,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,800 |
| 17 | Indiana | $73,879 | $46,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,841 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $75,356 | $47,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,541 |
| 19 | Virginia | $87,526 | $55,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,018 |
| 20 | Maryland | $86,130 | $55,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,463 |
| 21 | Oregon | $73,166 | $42,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,058 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $78,634 | $49,000 | 869,666 | 212 |
| 23 | Illinois | $79,649 | $50,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,563 |
| 24 | Iowa | $69,507 | $43,000 | 3,145,711 | 927 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $68,600 | $42,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,459 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $80,747 | $52,000 | 1,342,795 | 293 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $63,282 | $39,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,085 |
| 28 | Texas | $66,032 | $39,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,623 |
| 29 | Georgia | $62,981 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,003 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $63,563 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 156 |
| 31 | Colorado | $75,064 | $46,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,253 |
| 32 | Maine | $67,421 | $44,000 | 1,335,907 | 302 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $63,380 | $37,000 | 4,684,333 | 814 |
| 34 | Arizona | $70,630 | $42,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,243 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $65,944 | $41,000 | 1,815,857 | 343 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $71,365 | $44,000 | 755,393 | 138 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $56,363 | $42,000 | 1,427,538 | 272 |
| 38 | Alabama | $60,991 | $37,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,028 |
| 39 | Utah | $56,179 | $34,000 | 3,101,833 | 904 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $60,103 | $37,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,056 |
| 41 | Florida | $53,340 | $32,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,446 |
| 42 | Kansas | $55,754 | $34,000 | 2,913,123 | 748 |
| 43 | Idaho | $56,667 | $34,000 | 1,716,943 | 394 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $60,770 | $36,000 | 2,088,070 | 380 |
| 45 | Montana | $57,977 | $35,000 | 1,050,493 | 259 |
| 46 | Vermont | $61,705 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 109 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $57,797 | $35,000 | 1,920,076 | 426 |
| 48 | Missouri | $56,880 | $35,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,250 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $43,742 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 618 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $50,618 | $30,000 | 3,930,864 | 621 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $53,059 | $31,000 | 2,984,100 | 401 |
Highest paying states for operations managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Operations Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $102,041 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $96,631 |
| 3 | Delaware | $108,230 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $90,517 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $101,048 |
| 6 | Washington | $89,736 |
| 7 | Alaska | $97,588 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $101,301 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $82,833 |
| 10 | Michigan | $82,931 |
| 11 | New York | $101,948 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $84,287 |
| 13 | California | $93,066 |
| 14 | Ohio | $79,766 |
| 15 | Nevada | $79,136 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $94,503 |
| 17 | Indiana | $73,879 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $75,356 |
| 19 | Virginia | $87,526 |
| 20 | Maryland | $86,130 |
| 21 | Oregon | $73,166 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $78,634 |
| 23 | Illinois | $79,649 |
| 24 | Iowa | $69,507 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $68,600 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $80,747 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $63,282 |
| 28 | Texas | $66,032 |
| 29 | Georgia | $62,981 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $63,563 |
| 31 | Colorado | $75,064 |
| 32 | Maine | $67,421 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $63,380 |
| 34 | Arizona | $70,630 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $65,944 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $71,365 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $56,363 |
| 38 | Alabama | $60,991 |
| 39 | Utah | $56,179 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $60,103 |
| 41 | Florida | $53,340 |
| 42 | Kansas | $55,754 |
| 43 | Idaho | $56,667 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $60,770 |
| 45 | Montana | $57,977 |
| 46 | Vermont | $61,705 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $57,797 |
| 48 | Missouri | $56,880 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $43,742 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $50,618 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $53,059 |
Expert opinions on the best states for operations managers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for operations managers to find work opportunities?
Marjolijn Van der Velde Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Davenport University
Most state's product information on their job outlook over a 5-10 year period. The State of Michigan's "Hot 50" features the 50 most high demand, high wage careers through 2028. The report identifies the highest need jobs requiring a bachelor's degree as general and operations managers with 5,460 expected openings every year. The highest growth rates over the ten year period 2018-2028 are for speech-language pathologists and physician assistants. Both positions require a master's degree and are expected to grow 18% over the ten year period. I have attached a copy of Michigan's Hot 50 report.
Operations manager best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025