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Best states for a principal consultant
Quoted expert
David Smith
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Principal consultant opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for principal consultants, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for principal consultants.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of principal consultants in America is $150,000.
We figured that the best places for principal consultant 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.If you are currently seeking employment as a principal consultant, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for principal consultants in 2025
1. Oregon
Total principal consultant jobs: 1,043 Average annual salary: $134,286 Lowest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $175,000 Location Quotient: 1.32. Washington
Total principal consultant jobs: 1,822 Average annual salary: $132,548 Lowest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $172,000 Location Quotient: 1.283. Rhode Island
Total principal consultant jobs: 449 Average annual salary: $120,361 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location Quotient: 1.94. Wyoming
Total principal consultant jobs: 125 Average annual salary: $122,269 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location Quotient: 1.085. New Hampshire
Total principal consultant jobs: 415 Average annual salary: $119,749 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location Quotient: 1.226. Nevada
Total principal consultant jobs: 387 Average annual salary: $123,355 Lowest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 0.957. California
Total principal consultant jobs: 6,674 Average annual salary: $133,920 Lowest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000 Location Quotient: 1.188. West Virginia
Total principal consultant jobs: 340 Average annual salary: $117,416 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location Quotient: 1.159. Alaska
Total principal consultant jobs: 121 Average annual salary: $132,746 Lowest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location Quotient: 0.7510. Pennsylvania
Total principal consultant jobs: 2,240 Average annual salary: $117,186 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
Principal consultant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a principal consultant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a principal consultant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $134,286 | $102,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,043 |
| 2 | Washington | $132,548 | $101,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,822 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $120,361 | $94,000 | 1,059,639 | 449 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $122,269 | $94,000 | 579,315 | 125 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $119,749 | $94,000 | 1,342,795 | 415 |
| 6 | Nevada | $123,355 | $93,000 | 2,998,039 | 387 |
| 7 | California | $133,920 | $101,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,674 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $117,416 | $90,000 | 1,815,857 | 340 |
| 9 | Alaska | $132,746 | $110,000 | 739,795 | 121 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $117,186 | $90,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,240 |
| 11 | Idaho | $118,321 | $90,000 | 1,716,943 | 302 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $118,360 | $91,000 | 3,588,184 | 851 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $116,377 | $89,000 | 2,088,070 | 430 |
| 14 | Delaware | $120,666 | $93,000 | 961,939 | 219 |
| 15 | Mississippi | $119,677 | $92,000 | 2,984,100 | 303 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $119,267 | $91,000 | 693,972 | 705 |
| 17 | Virginia | $116,384 | $89,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,335 |
| 18 | Alabama | $115,397 | $89,000 | 4,874,747 | 768 |
| 19 | New York | $118,881 | $92,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,437 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $121,365 | $94,000 | 1,427,538 | 156 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $116,704 | $90,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,796 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $114,844 | $89,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,186 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $108,517 | $83,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,104 |
| 24 | Arizona | $109,290 | $83,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,394 |
| 25 | Michigan | $111,746 | $86,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,363 |
| 26 | Texas | $111,713 | $85,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,633 |
| 27 | Illinois | $110,671 | $85,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,548 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $110,817 | $86,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,239 |
| 29 | Maryland | $118,534 | $91,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,030 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $109,216 | $84,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,714 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $114,168 | $87,000 | 4,684,333 | 303 |
| 32 | Utah | $106,527 | $81,000 | 3,101,833 | 756 |
| 33 | Maine | $109,633 | $87,000 | 1,335,907 | 243 |
| 34 | Vermont | $105,946 | $83,000 | 623,657 | 261 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $108,005 | $83,000 | 5,795,483 | 936 |
| 36 | Ohio | $108,572 | $83,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,371 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $108,092 | $83,000 | 5,024,369 | 754 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $102,013 | $78,000 | 3,004,279 | 529 |
| 39 | Iowa | $107,255 | $82,000 | 3,145,711 | 374 |
| 40 | Missouri | $107,543 | $83,000 | 6,113,532 | 835 |
| 41 | Indiana | $104,860 | $80,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,116 |
| 42 | Colorado | $105,327 | $81,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,150 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $101,420 | $78,000 | 4,454,189 | 675 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $105,069 | $81,000 | 3,930,864 | 473 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $98,018 | $76,000 | 869,666 | 206 |
| 46 | Florida | $106,457 | $81,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,669 |
| 47 | Montana | $97,004 | $75,000 | 1,050,493 | 240 |
| 48 | Georgia | $105,017 | $81,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,516 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $99,250 | $76,000 | 1,920,076 | 343 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $93,443 | $73,000 | 755,393 | 151 |
| 51 | Kansas | $90,523 | $69,000 | 2,913,123 | 428 |
Highest paying states for principal consultants
| Rank | State | Avg. Principal Consultant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $134,286 |
| 2 | Washington | $132,548 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $120,361 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $122,269 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $119,749 |
| 6 | Nevada | $123,355 |
| 7 | California | $133,920 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $117,416 |
| 9 | Alaska | $132,746 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $117,186 |
| 11 | Idaho | $118,321 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $118,360 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $116,377 |
| 14 | Delaware | $120,666 |
| 15 | Mississippi | $119,677 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $119,267 |
| 17 | Virginia | $116,384 |
| 18 | Alabama | $115,397 |
| 19 | New York | $118,881 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $121,365 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $116,704 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $114,844 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $108,517 |
| 24 | Arizona | $109,290 |
| 25 | Michigan | $111,746 |
| 26 | Texas | $111,713 |
| 27 | Illinois | $110,671 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $110,817 |
| 29 | Maryland | $118,534 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $109,216 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $114,168 |
| 32 | Utah | $106,527 |
| 33 | Maine | $109,633 |
| 34 | Vermont | $105,946 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $108,005 |
| 36 | Ohio | $108,572 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $108,092 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $102,013 |
| 39 | Iowa | $107,255 |
| 40 | Missouri | $107,543 |
| 41 | Indiana | $104,860 |
| 42 | Colorado | $105,327 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $101,420 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $105,069 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $98,018 |
| 46 | Florida | $106,457 |
| 47 | Montana | $97,004 |
| 48 | Georgia | $105,017 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $99,250 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $93,443 |
| 51 | Kansas | $90,523 |
Expert opinions on the best states for principal consultants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for principal consultants to find work opportunities?
David Smith
Consultant, Coach and Speaker, David J. Smith Consulting
My work tends to focus on those seeking careers in conflict-sensitive fields, such as conflict resolution, humanitarian work, local and international development, and peacebuilding. Those working in these areas are driven by the locus of the work, that is, where the needs are and those that need support. In some cases, this is within one's own community, and in others, overseas.
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Updated January 8, 2025