Best states for a programming executive

Q: What is the best state for programming executives?

The best state to be a programming executive is Washington based on programming executive salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for programming executives?

The highest paying state for programming executives is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for programming executives?

The worst state for programming executives is Mississippi, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Programming executive opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for programming executives, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for programming executives.Although there are abundant programming executive jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Washington is the best state in the country for programming executive jobs.

Washington is the best state for jobs for programming executives, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $99,897, while the median pay in Mississippi is $37,203.We found that the South is best for programming executives, and the Northeast is the worst. Seattle, WA is the best city in the country for programming executive jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.

10 best states for programming executives in 2026

1. Washington
Total programming executive jobs: 904
Average annual salary: $99,897
Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000
Location Quotient:
1.48
Programming executive jobs in Washington
2. New Jersey
Total programming executive jobs: 789
Average annual salary: $88,807
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Programming executive jobs in New Jersey
3. Nevada
Total programming executive jobs: 208
Average annual salary: $86,152
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Programming executive jobs in Nevada
4. Maryland
Total programming executive jobs: 580
Average annual salary: $91,718
Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Programming executive jobs in Maryland
5. Connecticut
Total programming executive jobs: 361
Average annual salary: $82,129
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Programming executive jobs in Connecticut
6. Pennsylvania
Total programming executive jobs: 978
Average annual salary: $84,171
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Programming executive jobs in Pennsylvania
7. Colorado
Total programming executive jobs: 750
Average annual salary: $76,675
Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
Programming executive jobs in Colorado
8. Delaware
Total programming executive jobs: 135
Average annual salary: $77,355
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Programming executive jobs in Delaware
9. Massachusetts
Total programming executive jobs: 1,071
Average annual salary: $77,522
Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000
Location Quotient:
1.4
Programming executive jobs in Massachusetts
10. Virginia
Total programming executive jobs: 1,149
Average annual salary: $75,614
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000
Location Quotient:
1.46
Programming executive jobs in Virginia

Programming executive jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a programming executive

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

Detailed list of the best states for a programming executive

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$99,897	$69,000	7,405,743	904
2	New Jersey	$88,807	$56,000	9,005,644	789
3	Nevada	$86,152	$56,000	2,998,039	208
4	Maryland	$91,718	$57,000	6,052,177	580
5	Connecticut	$82,129	$52,000	3,588,184	361
6	Pennsylvania	$84,171	$53,000	12,805,537	978
7	Colorado	$76,675	$49,000	5,607,154	750
8	Delaware	$77,355	$48,000	961,939	135
9	Massachusetts	$77,522	$49,000	6,859,819	1,071
10	Virginia	$75,614	$46,000	8,470,020	1,149
11	Ohio	$81,957	$51,000	11,658,609	837
12	District of Columbia	$92,067	$57,000	693,972	121
13	Missouri	$73,030	$45,000	6,113,532	566
14	North Carolina	$73,150	$43,000	10,273,419	828
15	New York	$87,480	$55,000	19,849,399	189
16	Arizona	$69,770	$43,000	7,016,270	697
17	Rhode Island	$71,307	$45,000	1,059,639	117
18	Texas	$64,721	$37,000	28,304,596	2,456
19	Oregon	$77,743	$53,000	4,142,776	57
20	Illinois	$64,647	$41,000	12,802,023	1,418
21	North Dakota	$62,019	$42,000	755,393	99
22	Michigan	$68,083	$43,000	9,962,311	579
23	Nebraska	$65,709	$42,000	1,920,076	195
24	Minnesota	$64,419	$42,000	5,576,606	623
25	New Mexico	$69,468	$42,000	2,088,070	131
26	California	$76,870	$50,000	39,536,653	428
27	West Virginia	$64,767	$40,000	1,815,857	114
28	Wisconsin	$62,498	$40,000	5,795,483	490
29	Wyoming	$58,341	$39,000	579,315	63
30	Montana	$57,712	$40,000	1,050,493	132
31	Georgia	$59,081	$33,000	10,429,379	956
32	Vermont	$56,610	$36,000	623,657	92
33	Louisiana	$58,861	$33,000	4,684,333	266
34	Utah	$56,309	$37,000	3,101,833	365
35	New Hampshire	$61,153	$39,000	1,342,795	132
36	Alabama	$57,425	$32,000	4,874,747	362
37	Hawaii	$65,056	$53,000	1,427,538	69
38	Alaska	$61,333	$49,000	739,795	64
39	Kansas	$57,305	$35,000	2,913,123	267
40	Arkansas	$52,528	$30,000	3,004,279	257
41	South Dakota	$58,490	$39,000	869,666	67
42	Indiana	$56,388	$35,000	6,666,818	469
43	Florida	$51,645	$27,000	20,984,400	1,469
44	Iowa	$56,784	$36,000	3,145,711	251
45	South Carolina	$55,252	$31,000	5,024,369	336
46	Idaho	$52,284	$36,000	1,716,943	148
47	Tennessee	$50,520	$29,000	6,715,984	503
48	Kentucky	$53,748	$32,000	4,454,189	236
49	Oklahoma	$51,070	$30,000	3,930,864	215
50	Maine	$44,925	$29,000	1,335,907	102
51	Mississippi	$37,203	$21,000	2,984,100	135

Highest paying states for programming executives

Rank	State	Avg. Programming Executive Salary
1	Washington	$99,897
2	New Jersey	$88,807
3	Nevada	$86,152
4	Maryland	$91,718
5	Connecticut	$82,129
6	Pennsylvania	$84,171
7	Colorado	$76,675
8	Delaware	$77,355
9	Massachusetts	$77,522
10	Virginia	$75,614
11	Ohio	$81,957
12	District of Columbia	$92,067
13	Missouri	$73,030
14	North Carolina	$73,150
15	New York	$87,480
16	Arizona	$69,770
17	Rhode Island	$71,307
18	Texas	$64,721
19	Oregon	$77,743
20	Illinois	$64,647
21	North Dakota	$62,019
22	Michigan	$68,083
23	Nebraska	$65,709
24	Minnesota	$64,419
25	New Mexico	$69,468
26	California	$76,870
27	West Virginia	$64,767
28	Wisconsin	$62,498
29	Wyoming	$58,341
30	Montana	$57,712
31	Georgia	$59,081
32	Vermont	$56,610
33	Louisiana	$58,861
34	Utah	$56,309
35	New Hampshire	$61,153
36	Alabama	$57,425
37	Hawaii	$65,056
38	Alaska	$61,333
39	Kansas	$57,305
40	Arkansas	$52,528
41	South Dakota	$58,490
42	Indiana	$56,388
43	Florida	$51,645
44	Iowa	$56,784
45	South Carolina	$55,252
46	Idaho	$52,284
47	Tennessee	$50,520
48	Kentucky	$53,748
49	Oklahoma	$51,070
50	Maine	$44,925
51	Mississippi	$37,203

Best states for a programming executive

10 best states for programming executives in 2026

1. Washington

2. New Jersey

3. Nevada

4. Maryland

5. Connecticut

6. Pennsylvania

7. Colorado

8. Delaware

9. Massachusetts

10. Virginia

Programming executive jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a programming executive

Detailed list of the best states for a programming executive

Highest paying states for programming executives

Programming executive best states FAQs

What is the best state for programming executives?

What is the highest paying state for programming executives?

What is the worst state for programming executives?

Search for programming executive jobs

Total programming executive jobs:	904
Average annual salary:	$99,897
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$69,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$142,000
Location Quotient:	1.48