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Best states for an phd researcher
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
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Do you want to become an phd researcher at The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for phd researchers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of phd researchers in America is $76,000.
California is the best state for jobs for phd researchers, and South Carolina is the worst. The most common pay in California is $74,323, while the median pay in South Carolina is $33,936.We found that the South is best for phd researchers, and the Northeast is the worst. Novato, CA is the best city in the country for phd researcher jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.
10 best states for phd researchers in 2026
1. California
Total phd researcher jobs: 1,440 Average annual salary: $74,323 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
2. Tennessee
Total phd researcher jobs: 177 Average annual salary: $66,216 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
3. Rhode Island
Total phd researcher jobs: 34 Average annual salary: $59,828 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
4. Maine
Total phd researcher jobs: 37 Average annual salary: $60,187 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
5. New Jersey
Total phd researcher jobs: 640 Average annual salary: $57,417 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 2.21
6. Massachusetts
Total phd researcher jobs: 1,185 Average annual salary: $56,841 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 3.54
7. Oregon
Total phd researcher jobs: 237 Average annual salary: $55,079 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
8. Washington
Total phd researcher jobs: 498 Average annual salary: $54,947 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 1.87
9. Minnesota
Total phd researcher jobs: 258 Average annual salary: $54,178 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
10. Maryland
Total phd researcher jobs: 266 Average annual salary: $56,691 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
Phd researcher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be an phd researcher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for an phd researcher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $74,323 | $47,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,440 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $66,216 | $43,000 | 6,715,984 | 177 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $59,828 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 34 |
| 4 | Maine | $60,187 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 37 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $57,417 | $36,000 | 9,005,644 | 640 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $56,841 | $35,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,185 |
| 7 | Oregon | $55,079 | $36,000 | 4,142,776 | 237 |
| 8 | Washington | $54,947 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 498 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $54,178 | $39,000 | 5,576,606 | 258 |
| 10 | Maryland | $56,691 | $36,000 | 6,052,177 | 266 |
| 11 | Montana | $55,944 | $39,000 | 1,050,493 | 31 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $73,129 | $59,000 | 1,427,538 | 14 |
| 13 | Arizona | $57,506 | $37,000 | 7,016,270 | 105 |
| 14 | New York | $54,014 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,085 |
| 15 | Colorado | $52,573 | $36,000 | 5,607,154 | 281 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $57,145 | $35,000 | 3,588,184 | 69 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $51,259 | $32,000 | 12,805,537 | 343 |
| 18 | Delaware | $51,571 | $32,000 | 961,939 | 41 |
| 19 | Alaska | $52,094 | $40,000 | 739,795 | 24 |
| 20 | Illinois | $50,686 | $35,000 | 12,802,023 | 355 |
| 21 | Indiana | $53,888 | $36,000 | 6,666,818 | 94 |
| 22 | Nevada | $56,140 | $35,000 | 2,998,039 | 21 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $51,358 | $35,000 | 579,315 | 9 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $51,212 | $34,000 | 3,930,864 | 44 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $47,876 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 93 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $45,757 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 109 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $48,466 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 27 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $43,218 | $30,000 | 1,920,076 | 67 |
| 29 | Idaho | $47,451 | $31,000 | 1,716,943 | 29 |
| 30 | Virginia | $45,713 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 259 |
| 31 | Michigan | $43,917 | $29,000 | 9,962,311 | 169 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $46,118 | $30,000 | 3,004,279 | 19 |
| 33 | Missouri | $42,650 | $29,000 | 6,113,532 | 171 |
| 34 | Iowa | $42,406 | $29,000 | 3,145,711 | 103 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $43,229 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 267 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $43,660 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 49 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $44,554 | $32,000 | 869,666 | 16 |
| 38 | Ohio | $42,304 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 237 |
| 39 | Vermont | $43,329 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 19 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $42,599 | $28,000 | 4,454,189 | 66 |
| 41 | Texas | $41,586 | $26,000 | 28,304,596 | 511 |
| 42 | Utah | $42,895 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 60 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $37,389 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 48 |
| 44 | Kansas | $42,865 | $29,000 | 2,913,123 | 32 |
| 45 | Florida | $41,683 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 288 |
| 46 | Georgia | $38,798 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 264 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $38,572 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 18 |
| 48 | Alabama | $39,830 | $25,000 | 4,874,747 | 53 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $36,753 | $23,000 | 4,684,333 | 72 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,757 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 35 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $33,936 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 52 |
Highest paying states for phd researchers
| Rank | State | Avg. PHD Researcher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $74,323 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $66,216 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $59,828 |
| 4 | Maine | $60,187 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $57,417 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $56,841 |
| 7 | Oregon | $55,079 |
| 8 | Washington | $54,947 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $54,178 |
| 10 | Maryland | $56,691 |
| 11 | Montana | $55,944 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $73,129 |
| 13 | Arizona | $57,506 |
| 14 | New York | $54,014 |
| 15 | Colorado | $52,573 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $57,145 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $51,259 |
| 18 | Delaware | $51,571 |
| 19 | Alaska | $52,094 |
| 20 | Illinois | $50,686 |
| 21 | Indiana | $53,888 |
| 22 | Nevada | $56,140 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $51,358 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $51,212 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $47,876 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $45,757 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $48,466 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $43,218 |
| 29 | Idaho | $47,451 |
| 30 | Virginia | $45,713 |
| 31 | Michigan | $43,917 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $46,118 |
| 33 | Missouri | $42,650 |
| 34 | Iowa | $42,406 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $43,229 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $43,660 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $44,554 |
| 38 | Ohio | $42,304 |
| 39 | Vermont | $43,329 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $42,599 |
| 41 | Texas | $41,586 |
| 42 | Utah | $42,895 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $37,389 |
| 44 | Kansas | $42,865 |
| 45 | Florida | $41,683 |
| 46 | Georgia | $38,798 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $38,572 |
| 48 | Alabama | $39,830 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $36,753 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $36,757 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $33,936 |
Expert opinions on the best states for phd researchers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for phd researchers to find work opportunities?
Don Snyder
Associate Director, Industry Advising: STEM, William and Mary
Strong tech markets in the U.S. include Austin, Raleigh, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Columbus. Some markets are established in tech, while other markets are more up-and-coming. Smaller cities that may be "off the radar" include Huntsville and Tucson. Graduates need to look at different factors when exploring cities, including the cost of living. The dollar will go a lot further in Raleigh than in San Francisco. And some cities that were once more affordable may have a higher cost of living now due to the recent influx of residents.
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Updated January 8, 2025