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Best states for a professional engineer
Quoted expert
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for professional engineers? 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 professional engineer jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for professional engineers. We found that Alaska is the best state in the nation for professional engineers, and people in Anchorage earn the most in the field.
The median salary for professional engineers in Alaska is $109,678. Compare that to the median salary in Arkansas of $63,604, which ranked worst for professional engineers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that Alaska is the best state for professional engineer jobs, whereas Arkansas is the worst.
10 best states for professional engineers in 2025
1. Alaska
Total professional engineer jobs: 147 Average annual salary: $109,678 Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
2. California
Total professional engineer jobs: 4,775 Average annual salary: $106,350 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
3. Massachusetts
Total professional engineer jobs: 1,439 Average annual salary: $94,232 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
4. Oregon
Total professional engineer jobs: 677 Average annual salary: $87,253 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
5. New Jersey
Total professional engineer jobs: 817 Average annual salary: $104,309 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
6. Alabama
Total professional engineer jobs: 457 Average annual salary: $92,943 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
7. Arizona
Total professional engineer jobs: 748 Average annual salary: $86,386 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1
8. Delaware
Total professional engineer jobs: 253 Average annual salary: $85,561 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
9. Washington
Total professional engineer jobs: 1,099 Average annual salary: $88,528 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
10. Texas
Total professional engineer jobs: 2,145 Average annual salary: $88,806 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
Professional engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a professional engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a professional engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $109,678 | $88,000 | 739,795 | 147 |
| 2 | California | $106,350 | $77,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,775 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $94,232 | $68,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,439 |
| 4 | Oregon | $87,253 | $64,000 | 4,142,776 | 677 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $104,309 | $75,000 | 9,005,644 | 817 |
| 6 | Alabama | $92,943 | $67,000 | 4,874,747 | 457 |
| 7 | Arizona | $86,386 | $62,000 | 7,016,270 | 748 |
| 8 | Delaware | $85,561 | $61,000 | 961,939 | 253 |
| 9 | Washington | $88,528 | $65,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,099 |
| 10 | Texas | $88,806 | $63,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,145 |
| 11 | Maine | $83,740 | $61,000 | 1,335,907 | 209 |
| 12 | Virginia | $86,481 | $62,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,395 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $85,792 | $62,000 | 693,972 | 361 |
| 14 | New York | $87,829 | $63,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,730 |
| 15 | Vermont | $83,045 | $61,000 | 623,657 | 105 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $81,071 | $59,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,081 |
| 17 | Missouri | $85,190 | $62,000 | 6,113,532 | 519 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $79,631 | $58,000 | 5,795,483 | 794 |
| 19 | Idaho | $81,614 | $59,000 | 1,716,943 | 190 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $80,219 | $58,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,409 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $84,011 | $61,000 | 3,588,184 | 418 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $82,362 | $59,000 | 3,930,864 | 280 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $77,821 | $57,000 | 755,393 | 168 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $81,959 | $59,000 | 2,984,100 | 185 |
| 25 | Utah | $79,906 | $58,000 | 3,101,833 | 419 |
| 26 | Colorado | $79,992 | $58,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,104 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $80,373 | $58,000 | 4,454,189 | 374 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $81,946 | $58,000 | 4,684,333 | 319 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $81,327 | $58,000 | 10,273,419 | 955 |
| 30 | Montana | $78,420 | $57,000 | 1,050,493 | 182 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $76,774 | $55,000 | 1,815,857 | 197 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $80,964 | $58,000 | 1,059,639 | 127 |
| 33 | Indiana | $74,598 | $54,000 | 6,666,818 | 939 |
| 34 | Illinois | $79,250 | $58,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,273 |
| 35 | Michigan | $76,450 | $55,000 | 9,962,311 | 889 |
| 36 | Maryland | $77,306 | $56,000 | 6,052,177 | 971 |
| 37 | Iowa | $73,211 | $53,000 | 3,145,711 | 515 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $78,595 | $57,000 | 1,342,795 | 145 |
| 39 | Nevada | $74,284 | $53,000 | 2,998,039 | 228 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $60,048 | $49,000 | 1,427,538 | 170 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $75,890 | $54,000 | 2,088,070 | 188 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $65,763 | $48,000 | 579,315 | 99 |
| 43 | Georgia | $72,702 | $52,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,176 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $71,263 | $51,000 | 5,024,369 | 513 |
| 45 | Kansas | $70,380 | $51,000 | 2,913,123 | 317 |
| 46 | Florida | $69,839 | $49,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,759 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $68,117 | $50,000 | 1,920,076 | 236 |
| 48 | Ohio | $69,070 | $50,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,026 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $67,518 | $49,000 | 869,666 | 108 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $67,187 | $48,000 | 6,715,984 | 571 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $63,604 | $46,000 | 3,004,279 | 217 |
Highest paying states for professional engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Professional Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $109,678 |
| 2 | California | $106,350 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $94,232 |
| 4 | Oregon | $87,253 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $104,309 |
| 6 | Alabama | $92,943 |
| 7 | Arizona | $86,386 |
| 8 | Delaware | $85,561 |
| 9 | Washington | $88,528 |
| 10 | Texas | $88,806 |
| 11 | Maine | $83,740 |
| 12 | Virginia | $86,481 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $85,792 |
| 14 | New York | $87,829 |
| 15 | Vermont | $83,045 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $81,071 |
| 17 | Missouri | $85,190 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $79,631 |
| 19 | Idaho | $81,614 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $80,219 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $84,011 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $82,362 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $77,821 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $81,959 |
| 25 | Utah | $79,906 |
| 26 | Colorado | $79,992 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $80,373 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $81,946 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $81,327 |
| 30 | Montana | $78,420 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $76,774 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $80,964 |
| 33 | Indiana | $74,598 |
| 34 | Illinois | $79,250 |
| 35 | Michigan | $76,450 |
| 36 | Maryland | $77,306 |
| 37 | Iowa | $73,211 |
| 38 | New Hampshire | $78,595 |
| 39 | Nevada | $74,284 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $60,048 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $75,890 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $65,763 |
| 43 | Georgia | $72,702 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $71,263 |
| 45 | Kansas | $70,380 |
| 46 | Florida | $69,839 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $68,117 |
| 48 | Ohio | $69,070 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $67,518 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $67,187 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $63,604 |
Expert opinions on the best states for professional engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for professional engineers to find work opportunities?
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Texas
In my opinion, career fairs are viewed as the best platform for students to get hired for entry-level jobs. They should also access campus and community resources for employment support. It is highly suggested that students should gain work-based learning experiences during their time at their academic institute. These experiences not only help them to develop their work-readiness skills but also provide significant networking opportunities. My message would be: "Don't wait until you graduate."
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Updated January 8, 2025