Best states for a public health worker

Q: What is the best state for public health workers?

The best state to be a public health worker is New Hampshire based on public health worker salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for public health workers?

The highest paying state for public health workers is Minnesota based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for public health workers?

The worst state for public health workers is Pennsylvania, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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41 - 51

Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to public health worker jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of public health workers in America is $60,000.

We figured that the best places for public health worker 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 public health worker, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for public health workers in 2025

1. New Hampshire
Total public health worker jobs: 357
Average annual salary: $48,376
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Public health worker jobs in New Hampshire
2. North Carolina
Total public health worker jobs: 2,414
Average annual salary: $45,194
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Location Quotient:
1.62
Public health worker jobs in North Carolina
3. Delaware
Total public health worker jobs: 217
Average annual salary: $48,636
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Public health worker jobs in Delaware
4. Connecticut
Total public health worker jobs: 438
Average annual salary: $49,817
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Public health worker jobs in Connecticut
5. Rhode Island
Total public health worker jobs: 148
Average annual salary: $49,758
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Public health worker jobs in Rhode Island
6. California
Total public health worker jobs: 6,756
Average annual salary: $47,411
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.49
Public health worker jobs in California
7. Oklahoma
Total public health worker jobs: 719
Average annual salary: $40,081
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
1.5
Public health worker jobs in Oklahoma
8. Louisiana
Total public health worker jobs: 809
Average annual salary: $39,646
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
1.63
Public health worker jobs in Louisiana
9. Vermont
Total public health worker jobs: 129
Average annual salary: $44,014
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.08
Public health worker jobs in Vermont
10. District of Columbia
Total public health worker jobs: 336
Average annual salary: $47,724
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Public health worker jobs in District of Columbia

Public health worker jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a public health worker

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

Detailed list of the best states for a public health worker

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Hampshire	$48,376	$31,000	1,342,795	357
2	North Carolina	$45,194	$31,000	10,273,419	2,414
3	Delaware	$48,636	$31,000	961,939	217
4	Connecticut	$49,817	$32,000	3,588,184	438
5	Rhode Island	$49,758	$32,000	1,059,639	148
6	California	$47,411	$31,000	39,536,653	6,756
7	Oklahoma	$40,081	$28,000	3,930,864	719
8	Louisiana	$39,646	$28,000	4,684,333	809
9	Vermont	$44,014	$28,000	623,657	129
10	District of Columbia	$47,724	$31,000	693,972	336
11	Nevada	$47,176	$31,000	2,998,039	219
12	West Virginia	$40,177	$27,000	1,815,857	250
13	Alaska	$47,217	$31,000	739,795	38
14	Texas	$39,721	$28,000	28,304,596	4,192
15	Massachusetts	$44,329	$28,000	6,859,819	1,238
16	Tennessee	$37,096	$26,000	6,715,984	1,622
17	Michigan	$39,151	$26,000	9,962,311	1,257
18	Arkansas	$39,581	$27,000	3,004,279	384
19	South Dakota	$37,358	$25,000	869,666	258
20	Virginia	$40,154	$27,000	8,470,020	2,044
21	North Dakota	$40,392	$27,000	755,393	90
22	New Jersey	$44,521	$28,000	9,005,644	260
23	New York	$44,683	$28,000	19,849,399	387
24	Alabama	$36,758	$26,000	4,874,747	988
25	Maryland	$43,060	$28,000	6,052,177	803
26	Hawaii	$46,480	$40,000	1,427,538	110
27	Wisconsin	$37,489	$25,000	5,795,483	719
28	Nebraska	$36,049	$24,000	1,920,076	494
29	Florida	$37,659	$27,000	20,984,400	2,328
30	Georgia	$37,675	$26,000	10,429,379	1,486
31	Maine	$38,621	$25,000	1,335,907	63
32	Mississippi	$37,714	$26,000	2,984,100	241
33	Iowa	$37,363	$25,000	3,145,711	418
34	Utah	$35,827	$24,000	3,101,833	679
35	Colorado	$37,481	$25,000	5,607,154	1,176
36	Idaho	$35,129	$23,000	1,716,943	402
37	Arizona	$37,155	$25,000	7,016,270	760
38	Oregon	$36,592	$24,000	4,142,776	633
39	Kansas	$36,258	$25,000	2,913,123	355
40	Illinois	$38,281	$26,000	12,802,023	282
41	South Carolina	$35,540	$25,000	5,024,369	689
42	Wyoming	$35,893	$24,000	579,315	75
43	Indiana	$34,384	$23,000	6,666,818	1,004
44	Missouri	$33,712	$23,000	6,113,532	1,496
45	Ohio	$34,112	$23,000	11,658,609	1,426
46	Washington	$34,362	$22,000	7,405,743	1,073
47	New Mexico	$33,858	$23,000	2,088,070	287
48	Kentucky	$33,087	$23,000	4,454,189	456
49	Minnesota	$31,439	$21,000	5,576,606	956
50	Montana	$33,917	$23,000	1,050,493	47
51	Pennsylvania	$32,672	$21,000	12,805,537	394

Highest paying states for public health workers

Rank	State	Avg. Public Health Worker Salary
1	New Hampshire	$48,376
2	North Carolina	$45,194
3	Delaware	$48,636
4	Connecticut	$49,817
5	Rhode Island	$49,758
6	California	$47,411
7	Oklahoma	$40,081
8	Louisiana	$39,646
9	Vermont	$44,014
10	District of Columbia	$47,724
11	Nevada	$47,176
12	West Virginia	$40,177
13	Alaska	$47,217
14	Texas	$39,721
15	Massachusetts	$44,329
16	Tennessee	$37,096
17	Michigan	$39,151
18	Arkansas	$39,581
19	South Dakota	$37,358
20	Virginia	$40,154
21	North Dakota	$40,392
22	New Jersey	$44,521
23	New York	$44,683
24	Alabama	$36,758
25	Maryland	$43,060
26	Hawaii	$46,480
27	Wisconsin	$37,489
28	Nebraska	$36,049
29	Florida	$37,659
30	Georgia	$37,675
31	Maine	$38,621
32	Mississippi	$37,714
33	Iowa	$37,363
34	Utah	$35,827
35	Colorado	$37,481
36	Idaho	$35,129
37	Arizona	$37,155
38	Oregon	$36,592
39	Kansas	$36,258
40	Illinois	$38,281
41	South Carolina	$35,540
42	Wyoming	$35,893
43	Indiana	$34,384
44	Missouri	$33,712
45	Ohio	$34,112
46	Washington	$34,362
47	New Mexico	$33,858
48	Kentucky	$33,087
49	Minnesota	$31,439
50	Montana	$33,917
51	Pennsylvania	$32,672

Public health worker best states FAQs

What is the best state for public health workers?

What is the highest paying state for public health workers?

What is the worst state for public health workers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

Search for public health worker jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

Total public health worker jobs:	357
Average annual salary:	$48,376
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$31,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$73,000
Location Quotient:	1.31

Best states for a public health worker

10 best states for public health workers in 2025

1. New Hampshire

2. North Carolina

3. Delaware

4. Connecticut

5. Rhode Island

6. California

7. Oklahoma

8. Louisiana

9. Vermont

10. District of Columbia