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Best states for a program instructor
Quoted expert
Dr. Carrie Kondor
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and education, training, and library careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to program instructor jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for program instructors.As program instructors are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for program instructors. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a program instructor, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
The median salary for program instructors in Michigan is $45,698. Compare that to the median salary in Ohio of $32,813, which ranked worst for program instructors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Michigan is the best state, and Mililani Town is the city with the highest pay for program instructors.
10 best states for program instructors in 2025
1. Michigan
Total program instructor jobs: 1,345 Average annual salary: $45,698 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.262. Minnesota
Total program instructor jobs: 1,048 Average annual salary: $49,199 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.153. Oregon
Total program instructor jobs: 833 Average annual salary: $47,182 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.474. New Mexico
Total program instructor jobs: 340 Average annual salary: $45,176 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.265. Wisconsin
Total program instructor jobs: 721 Average annual salary: $49,027 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 0.956. Iowa
Total program instructor jobs: 531 Average annual salary: $48,335 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.077. Nebraska
Total program instructor jobs: 360 Average annual salary: $44,849 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.188. Delaware
Total program instructor jobs: 266 Average annual salary: $43,867 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.559. Wyoming
Total program instructor jobs: 169 Average annual salary: $43,015 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 2.0610. North Dakota
Total program instructor jobs: 80 Average annual salary: $47,470 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 0.63
Program instructor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a program instructor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a program instructor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $45,698 | $33,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,345 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $49,199 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,048 |
| 3 | Oregon | $47,182 | $36,000 | 4,142,776 | 833 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $45,176 | $32,000 | 2,088,070 | 340 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $49,027 | $36,000 | 5,795,483 | 721 |
| 6 | Iowa | $48,335 | $35,000 | 3,145,711 | 531 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $44,849 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 360 |
| 8 | Delaware | $43,867 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 266 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $43,015 | $32,000 | 579,315 | 169 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $47,470 | $36,000 | 755,393 | 80 |
| 11 | Texas | $43,589 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,765 |
| 12 | Alabama | $42,660 | $29,000 | 4,874,747 | 607 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $50,229 | $44,000 | 1,427,538 | 192 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $43,193 | $30,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,483 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $42,010 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,589 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $42,493 | $29,000 | 6,715,984 | 652 |
| 17 | California | $47,857 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,455 |
| 18 | Kansas | $42,188 | $30,000 | 2,913,123 | 361 |
| 19 | Indiana | $42,364 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 687 |
| 20 | Missouri | $43,334 | $31,000 | 6,113,532 | 650 |
| 21 | New York | $42,657 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,662 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $41,266 | $29,000 | 4,454,189 | 482 |
| 23 | Washington | $46,224 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 417 |
| 24 | Idaho | $39,988 | $30,000 | 1,716,943 | 302 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $39,871 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 325 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $39,891 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 166 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $39,666 | $28,000 | 1,815,857 | 246 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $40,923 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 348 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $40,329 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 325 |
| 30 | Alaska | $46,626 | $42,000 | 739,795 | 91 |
| 31 | Illinois | $41,012 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,749 |
| 32 | Utah | $39,716 | $29,000 | 3,101,833 | 526 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $39,621 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 710 |
| 34 | Maine | $38,704 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 227 |
| 35 | Florida | $40,990 | $28,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,318 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $40,622 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 427 |
| 37 | Colorado | $39,142 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,416 |
| 38 | Montana | $38,364 | $29,000 | 1,050,493 | 312 |
| 39 | Virginia | $42,568 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 946 |
| 40 | Vermont | $41,511 | $32,000 | 623,657 | 87 |
| 41 | Georgia | $39,851 | $27,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,656 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $40,430 | $28,000 | 3,930,864 | 351 |
| 43 | Massachusetts | $42,065 | $31,000 | 6,859,819 | 595 |
| 44 | Nevada | $37,318 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 427 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $39,158 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 600 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $39,968 | $29,000 | 1,059,639 | 99 |
| 47 | Maryland | $41,190 | $28,000 | 6,052,177 | 505 |
| 48 | Arizona | $34,133 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,020 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $36,967 | $25,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,377 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $39,052 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 102 |
| 51 | Ohio | $32,813 | $23,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,218 |
Highest paying states for program instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. Program Instructor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $45,698 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $49,199 |
| 3 | Oregon | $47,182 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $45,176 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $49,027 |
| 6 | Iowa | $48,335 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $44,849 |
| 8 | Delaware | $43,867 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $43,015 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $47,470 |
| 11 | Texas | $43,589 |
| 12 | Alabama | $42,660 |
| 13 | Hawaii | $50,229 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $43,193 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $42,010 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $42,493 |
| 17 | California | $47,857 |
| 18 | Kansas | $42,188 |
| 19 | Indiana | $42,364 |
| 20 | Missouri | $43,334 |
| 21 | New York | $42,657 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $41,266 |
| 23 | Washington | $46,224 |
| 24 | Idaho | $39,988 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $39,871 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $39,891 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $39,666 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $40,923 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $40,329 |
| 30 | Alaska | $46,626 |
| 31 | Illinois | $41,012 |
| 32 | Utah | $39,716 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $39,621 |
| 34 | Maine | $38,704 |
| 35 | Florida | $40,990 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $40,622 |
| 37 | Colorado | $39,142 |
| 38 | Montana | $38,364 |
| 39 | Virginia | $42,568 |
| 40 | Vermont | $41,511 |
| 41 | Georgia | $39,851 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $40,430 |
| 43 | Massachusetts | $42,065 |
| 44 | Nevada | $37,318 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $39,158 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $39,968 |
| 47 | Maryland | $41,190 |
| 48 | Arizona | $34,133 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $36,967 |
| 50 | District of Columbia | $39,052 |
| 51 | Ohio | $32,813 |
Expert opinions on the best states for program instructors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for program instructors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Carrie Kondor
Director, Linfield University
Still, I can say that I believe graduates will find more job possibilities than before, given the broader continuum of teaching environments that this pandemic has opened up!
Program instructor best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025