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Best states for a permit specialist
Quoted expert
Donna Kukarola
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It seems like permit specialists are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for permit specialists aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant permit specialist jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. District of Columbia is the best state in the country for permit specialist jobs.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for permit specialists. District of Columbia is the best state for permit specialists, where the median salary is $69,937.We found that the South is best for permit specialists, and the Northeast is the worst. Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ is the best city in the country for permit specialist jobs, where as District of Columbia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for permit specialists in 2025
1. District of Columbia
Total permit specialist jobs: 269 Average annual salary: $69,937 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 2.34
2. Pennsylvania
Total permit specialist jobs: 810 Average annual salary: $69,163 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
3. New York
Total permit specialist jobs: 928 Average annual salary: $67,229 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
4. Delaware
Total permit specialist jobs: 113 Average annual salary: $58,248 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
5. New Jersey
Total permit specialist jobs: 468 Average annual salary: $68,742 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
6. Maryland
Total permit specialist jobs: 524 Average annual salary: $60,386 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
7. Washington
Total permit specialist jobs: 509 Average annual salary: $59,810 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
8. North Dakota
Total permit specialist jobs: 103 Average annual salary: $52,332 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.62
9. Massachusetts
Total permit specialist jobs: 586 Average annual salary: $60,718 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
10. Maine
Total permit specialist jobs: 87 Average annual salary: $57,614 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
Permit specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a permit specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a permit specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $69,937 | $43,000 | 693,972 | 269 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $69,163 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 810 |
| 3 | New York | $67,229 | $42,000 | 19,849,399 | 928 |
| 4 | Delaware | $58,248 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 113 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $68,742 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 468 |
| 6 | Maryland | $60,386 | $37,000 | 6,052,177 | 524 |
| 7 | Washington | $59,810 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 509 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $52,332 | $34,000 | 755,393 | 103 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $60,718 | $39,000 | 6,859,819 | 586 |
| 10 | Maine | $57,614 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 87 |
| 11 | Ohio | $63,205 | $39,000 | 11,658,609 | 541 |
| 12 | Michigan | $60,168 | $38,000 | 9,962,311 | 455 |
| 13 | Virginia | $56,596 | $34,000 | 8,470,020 | 771 |
| 14 | Vermont | $55,217 | $36,000 | 623,657 | 60 |
| 15 | Illinois | $61,012 | $38,000 | 12,802,023 | 702 |
| 16 | Florida | $53,727 | $33,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,244 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $54,492 | $33,000 | 1,815,857 | 99 |
| 18 | Nevada | $55,771 | $34,000 | 2,998,039 | 135 |
| 19 | Arizona | $53,296 | $32,000 | 7,016,270 | 565 |
| 20 | Alaska | $55,857 | $46,000 | 739,795 | 89 |
| 21 | California | $57,997 | $35,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,114 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $53,466 | $34,000 | 1,059,639 | 83 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $53,164 | $32,000 | 4,684,333 | 213 |
| 24 | Colorado | $52,332 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 449 |
| 25 | Indiana | $52,571 | $33,000 | 6,666,818 | 363 |
| 26 | Oregon | $53,394 | $33,000 | 4,142,776 | 266 |
| 27 | Kansas | $52,038 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 182 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $51,869 | $33,000 | 1,342,795 | 113 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $54,355 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 206 |
| 30 | Iowa | $47,812 | $30,000 | 3,145,711 | 269 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $47,657 | $30,000 | 1,920,076 | 171 |
| 32 | Texas | $48,182 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,481 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $49,414 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 306 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $46,011 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 178 |
| 35 | Georgia | $49,004 | $30,000 | 10,429,379 | 653 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $44,177 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 66 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $43,149 | $30,000 | 1,427,538 | 98 |
| 38 | Utah | $44,603 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 237 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $45,217 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 662 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $47,140 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 105 |
| 41 | Montana | $45,612 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 77 |
| 42 | Idaho | $45,775 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 104 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $45,522 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 66 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $47,735 | $31,000 | 5,576,606 | 364 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $44,153 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 130 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $43,743 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 356 |
| 47 | Missouri | $45,764 | $29,000 | 6,113,532 | 315 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $44,132 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 180 |
| 49 | Alabama | $42,156 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 276 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $42,438 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 177 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $42,913 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 237 |
Highest paying states for permit specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Permit Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $69,937 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $69,163 |
| 3 | New York | $67,229 |
| 4 | Delaware | $58,248 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $68,742 |
| 6 | Maryland | $60,386 |
| 7 | Washington | $59,810 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $52,332 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $60,718 |
| 10 | Maine | $57,614 |
| 11 | Ohio | $63,205 |
| 12 | Michigan | $60,168 |
| 13 | Virginia | $56,596 |
| 14 | Vermont | $55,217 |
| 15 | Illinois | $61,012 |
| 16 | Florida | $53,727 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $54,492 |
| 18 | Nevada | $55,771 |
| 19 | Arizona | $53,296 |
| 20 | Alaska | $55,857 |
| 21 | California | $57,997 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $53,466 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $53,164 |
| 24 | Colorado | $52,332 |
| 25 | Indiana | $52,571 |
| 26 | Oregon | $53,394 |
| 27 | Kansas | $52,038 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $51,869 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $54,355 |
| 30 | Iowa | $47,812 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $47,657 |
| 32 | Texas | $48,182 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $49,414 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $46,011 |
| 35 | Georgia | $49,004 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $44,177 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $43,149 |
| 38 | Utah | $44,603 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $45,217 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $47,140 |
| 41 | Montana | $45,612 |
| 42 | Idaho | $45,775 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $45,522 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $47,735 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $44,153 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $43,743 |
| 47 | Missouri | $45,764 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $44,132 |
| 49 | Alabama | $42,156 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $42,438 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $42,913 |
Expert opinions on the best states for permit specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for permit specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola
Procurement Director, Forsyth County, Georgia
This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.
Permit specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025