Best states for a primary care provider

Q: What is the best state for primary care providers?

The best state to be a primary care provider is New Hampshire based on primary care provider salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for primary care providers?

The highest paying state for primary care providers is Colorado based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for primary care providers?

The worst state for primary care providers is Arkansas, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for primary care providers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for primary care provider jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.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 primary care provider jobs.

We figured that the best places for primary care provider jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for primary care providers, and the Northeast is the worst. Santa Rosa, CA is the best city in the country for primary care provider jobs, where as New Hampshire is the best state in the country.

10 best states for primary care providers in 2026

1. New Hampshire
Total primary care provider jobs: 242
Average annual salary: $51,725
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000
Location Quotient:
1.36
Primary care provider jobs in New Hampshire
2. Delaware
Total primary care provider jobs: 176
Average annual salary: $49,571
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000
Location Quotient:
1.38
Primary care provider jobs in Delaware
3. Maine
Total primary care provider jobs: 222
Average annual salary: $45,043
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
1.64
Primary care provider jobs in Maine
4. Connecticut
Total primary care provider jobs: 285
Average annual salary: $56,397
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Primary care provider jobs in Connecticut
5. Rhode Island
Total primary care provider jobs: 108
Average annual salary: $54,136
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Primary care provider jobs in Rhode Island
6. Michigan
Total primary care provider jobs: 1,224
Average annual salary: $43,266
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Location Quotient:
1.55
Primary care provider jobs in Michigan
7. Nevada
Total primary care provider jobs: 329
Average annual salary: $42,104
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Primary care provider jobs in Nevada
8. Massachusetts
Total primary care provider jobs: 764
Average annual salary: $54,871
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000
Location Quotient:
0.82
Primary care provider jobs in Massachusetts
9. Washington
Total primary care provider jobs: 944
Average annual salary: $48,445
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
Primary care provider jobs in Washington
10. New Jersey
Total primary care provider jobs: 422
Average annual salary: $55,717
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000
Location Quotient:
0.52
Primary care provider jobs in New Jersey

Primary care provider jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a primary care provider

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a primary care provider

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Hampshire	$51,725	$28,000	1,342,795	242
2	Delaware	$49,571	$26,000	961,939	176
3	Maine	$45,043	$26,000	1,335,907	222
4	Connecticut	$56,397	$30,000	3,588,184	285
5	Rhode Island	$54,136	$29,000	1,059,639	108
6	Michigan	$43,266	$24,000	9,962,311	1,224
7	Nevada	$42,104	$22,000	2,998,039	329
8	Massachusetts	$54,871	$30,000	6,859,819	764
9	Washington	$48,445	$25,000	7,405,743	944
10	New Jersey	$55,717	$30,000	9,005,644	422
11	Alaska	$50,550	$29,000	739,795	82
12	New York	$52,989	$28,000	19,849,399	809
13	Maryland	$50,052	$27,000	6,052,177	650
14	Vermont	$43,591	$25,000	623,657	97
15	Virginia	$44,549	$25,000	8,470,020	1,050
16	West Virginia	$37,408	$21,000	1,815,857	199
17	District of Columbia	$50,070	$27,000	693,972	138
18	Oregon	$40,508	$20,000	4,142,776	549
19	Illinois	$35,094	$21,000	12,802,023	1,653
20	California	$44,598	$22,000	39,536,653	3,066
21	Pennsylvania	$43,781	$23,000	12,805,537	719
22	Montana	$33,499	$18,000	1,050,493	172
23	South Carolina	$32,875	$21,000	5,024,369	600
24	Ohio	$31,943	$18,000	11,658,609	1,477
25	Iowa	$30,896	$19,000	3,145,711	575
26	South Dakota	$32,596	$19,000	869,666	137
27	Kentucky	$32,860	$20,000	4,454,189	431
28	New Mexico	$31,871	$19,000	2,088,070	244
29	Georgia	$32,369	$20,000	10,429,379	1,291
30	North Carolina	$30,155	$18,000	10,273,419	1,406
31	North Dakota	$30,271	$18,000	755,393	131
32	Wisconsin	$30,441	$18,000	5,795,483	737
33	Arizona	$29,601	$17,000	7,016,270	904
34	Wyoming	$30,567	$18,000	579,315	65
35	Idaho	$32,863	$17,000	1,716,943	165
36	Texas	$32,847	$20,000	28,304,596	793
37	Minnesota	$29,961	$18,000	5,576,606	838
38	Indiana	$31,058	$19,000	6,666,818	274
39	Hawaii	$32,055	$26,000	1,427,538	95
40	Louisiana	$28,040	$17,000	4,684,333	444
41	Mississippi	$26,675	$17,000	2,984,100	308
42	Kansas	$28,865	$18,000	2,913,123	318
43	Oklahoma	$27,685	$17,000	3,930,864	411
44	Missouri	$25,689	$16,000	6,113,532	907
45	Nebraska	$28,578	$17,000	1,920,076	250
46	Utah	$29,779	$16,000	3,101,833	279
47	Tennessee	$29,236	$18,000	6,715,984	234
48	Alabama	$26,347	$16,000	4,874,747	451
49	Colorado	$25,639	$15,000	5,607,154	602
50	Florida	$25,730	$16,000	20,984,400	791
51	Arkansas	$26,126	$16,000	3,004,279	55

Highest paying states for primary care providers

Rank	State	Avg. Primary Care Provider Salary
1	New Hampshire	$51,725
2	Delaware	$49,571
3	Maine	$45,043
4	Connecticut	$56,397
5	Rhode Island	$54,136
6	Michigan	$43,266
7	Nevada	$42,104
8	Massachusetts	$54,871
9	Washington	$48,445
10	New Jersey	$55,717
11	Alaska	$50,550
12	New York	$52,989
13	Maryland	$50,052
14	Vermont	$43,591
15	Virginia	$44,549
16	West Virginia	$37,408
17	District of Columbia	$50,070
18	Oregon	$40,508
19	Illinois	$35,094
20	California	$44,598
21	Pennsylvania	$43,781
22	Montana	$33,499
23	South Carolina	$32,875
24	Ohio	$31,943
25	Iowa	$30,896
26	South Dakota	$32,596
27	Kentucky	$32,860
28	New Mexico	$31,871
29	Georgia	$32,369
30	North Carolina	$30,155
31	North Dakota	$30,271
32	Wisconsin	$30,441
33	Arizona	$29,601
34	Wyoming	$30,567
35	Idaho	$32,863
36	Texas	$32,847
37	Minnesota	$29,961
38	Indiana	$31,058
39	Hawaii	$32,055
40	Louisiana	$28,040
41	Mississippi	$26,675
42	Kansas	$28,865
43	Oklahoma	$27,685
44	Missouri	$25,689
45	Nebraska	$28,578
46	Utah	$29,779
47	Tennessee	$29,236
48	Alabama	$26,347
49	Colorado	$25,639
50	Florida	$25,730
51	Arkansas	$26,126

Primary care provider best states FAQs

What is the best state for primary care providers?

What is the highest paying state for primary care providers?

What is the worst state for primary care providers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.

Search for primary care provider jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs

Total primary care provider jobs:	242
Average annual salary:	$51,725
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$28,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$92,000
Location Quotient:	1.36

Best states for a primary care provider

10 best states for primary care providers in 2026

1. New Hampshire

2. Delaware

3. Maine

4. Connecticut

5. Rhode Island

6. Michigan

7. Nevada

8. Massachusetts

9. Washington

10. New Jersey