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Best states for a postdoctoral scholar
Quoted expert
David Woodward
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for postdoctoral scholars? 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 postdoctoral scholar jobs.In order to help you decide which state is the best for postdoctoral scholars, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for postdoctoral scholar jobs.
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 postdoctoral scholars.We found that New Jersey is the best state for postdoctoral scholar jobs, whereas South Carolina is the worst.
10 best states for postdoctoral scholars in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 873 Average annual salary: $68,319 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 1.87
2. California
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 2,949 Average annual salary: $69,770 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.72
3. Maine
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 71 Average annual salary: $66,004 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
4. Rhode Island
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 61 Average annual salary: $66,688 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
5. Connecticut
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 200 Average annual salary: $64,386 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
6. Minnesota
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 322 Average annual salary: $63,495 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
7. Delaware
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $58,707 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
8. Massachusetts
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 1,792 Average annual salary: $57,863 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 3.32
9. Tennessee
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 247 Average annual salary: $59,974 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
10. New York
Total postdoctoral scholar jobs: 1,191 Average annual salary: $58,920 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
Postdoctoral scholar jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a postdoctoral scholar
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a postdoctoral scholar
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $68,319 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 873 |
| 2 | California | $69,770 | $49,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,949 |
| 3 | Maine | $66,004 | $45,000 | 1,335,907 | 71 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $66,688 | $45,000 | 1,059,639 | 61 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $64,386 | $43,000 | 3,588,184 | 200 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $63,495 | $47,000 | 5,576,606 | 322 |
| 7 | Delaware | $58,707 | $39,000 | 961,939 | 97 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $57,863 | $39,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,792 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $59,974 | $41,000 | 6,715,984 | 247 |
| 10 | New York | $58,920 | $39,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,191 |
| 11 | Arizona | $63,662 | $45,000 | 7,016,270 | 125 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $53,527 | $36,000 | 12,805,537 | 775 |
| 13 | Montana | $58,572 | $44,000 | 1,050,493 | 51 |
| 14 | Colorado | $57,746 | $42,000 | 5,607,154 | 266 |
| 15 | Indiana | $56,208 | $39,000 | 6,666,818 | 259 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $69,426 | $56,000 | 1,427,538 | 22 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $55,326 | $41,000 | 579,315 | 25 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $53,076 | $36,000 | 1,342,795 | 85 |
| 19 | Washington | $53,540 | $39,000 | 7,405,743 | 690 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $51,827 | $37,000 | 5,795,483 | 293 |
| 21 | Oregon | $52,734 | $38,000 | 4,142,776 | 355 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $58,140 | $40,000 | 3,930,864 | 52 |
| 23 | Nevada | $58,051 | $40,000 | 2,998,039 | 42 |
| 24 | Illinois | $53,666 | $38,000 | 12,802,023 | 547 |
| 25 | Maryland | $52,449 | $35,000 | 6,052,177 | 630 |
| 26 | Alaska | $54,526 | $46,000 | 739,795 | 27 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $52,266 | $36,000 | 3,004,279 | 63 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $47,642 | $32,000 | 10,273,419 | 547 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $50,532 | $34,000 | 693,972 | 125 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $48,345 | $34,000 | 2,088,070 | 102 |
| 31 | Michigan | $49,619 | $35,000 | 9,962,311 | 289 |
| 32 | Idaho | $49,722 | $36,000 | 1,716,943 | 64 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $47,277 | $34,000 | 1,920,076 | 99 |
| 34 | Vermont | $47,724 | $33,000 | 623,657 | 37 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $47,931 | $35,000 | 869,666 | 31 |
| 36 | Kansas | $47,736 | $34,000 | 2,913,123 | 89 |
| 37 | Ohio | $45,355 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 376 |
| 38 | Virginia | $46,380 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 392 |
| 39 | Utah | $46,351 | $33,000 | 3,101,833 | 110 |
| 40 | Texas | $44,880 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 756 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $44,988 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 95 |
| 42 | Iowa | $42,737 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 149 |
| 43 | Missouri | $38,161 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 408 |
| 44 | Florida | $46,346 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 362 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $40,836 | $31,000 | 755,393 | 39 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $41,977 | $28,000 | 1,815,857 | 48 |
| 47 | Alabama | $42,536 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 81 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $41,546 | $27,000 | 4,684,333 | 87 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $41,743 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 50 |
| 50 | Georgia | $37,263 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 252 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $38,073 | $25,000 | 5,024,369 | 95 |
Highest paying states for postdoctoral scholars
| Rank | State | Avg. Postdoctoral Scholar Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $68,319 |
| 2 | California | $69,770 |
| 3 | Maine | $66,004 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $66,688 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $64,386 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $63,495 |
| 7 | Delaware | $58,707 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $57,863 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $59,974 |
| 10 | New York | $58,920 |
| 11 | Arizona | $63,662 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $53,527 |
| 13 | Montana | $58,572 |
| 14 | Colorado | $57,746 |
| 15 | Indiana | $56,208 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $69,426 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $55,326 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $53,076 |
| 19 | Washington | $53,540 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $51,827 |
| 21 | Oregon | $52,734 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $58,140 |
| 23 | Nevada | $58,051 |
| 24 | Illinois | $53,666 |
| 25 | Maryland | $52,449 |
| 26 | Alaska | $54,526 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $52,266 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $47,642 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $50,532 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $48,345 |
| 31 | Michigan | $49,619 |
| 32 | Idaho | $49,722 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $47,277 |
| 34 | Vermont | $47,724 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $47,931 |
| 36 | Kansas | $47,736 |
| 37 | Ohio | $45,355 |
| 38 | Virginia | $46,380 |
| 39 | Utah | $46,351 |
| 40 | Texas | $44,880 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $44,988 |
| 42 | Iowa | $42,737 |
| 43 | Missouri | $38,161 |
| 44 | Florida | $46,346 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $40,836 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $41,977 |
| 47 | Alabama | $42,536 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $41,546 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $41,743 |
| 50 | Georgia | $37,263 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $38,073 |
Expert opinions on the best states for postdoctoral scholars
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for postdoctoral scholars to find work opportunities?
David Woodward
Director, Museum Studies Program, University of Minnesota Duluth
While the traditional path to employment in History has been through education licensure (secondary education) or through graduate degrees to become university faculty, most historians and heritage professionals are employed outside of academia. Prior to COVID 19, the field of public History was expanding. Public History covers museums, historic site management, historic preservation and compliance, and heritage interpretation. Many of our graduates over the past couple of years have found positions with local and regional museums and historical societies; others have found employment in historic preservation.
The preservation industry revolves around certain local, state, and federal laws that protect heritage and historic sites. The most comprehensive of these is the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. There are also state and local ordinances that also address historic preservation. Federal, state, and local governments, along with private developers, often enlist historians and public History professionals to help comply with these regulations. Most large infrastructure projects (roads, mines, pipelines, energy development) have a historic preservation component.
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Updated January 8, 2025