Best states for a quality assurance scientist

Q: What is the best state for quality assurance scientists?

The best state to be a quality assurance scientist is New Hampshire based on quality assurance scientist salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for quality assurance scientists?

The highest paying state for quality assurance scientists is Nevada based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for quality assurance scientists?

The worst state for quality assurance scientists is Mississippi, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for quality assurance scientists? 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 quality assurance scientist jobs.Our research shows that New Hampshire is the best state in the country for quality assurance scientists.

We figured that the best places for quality assurance scientist 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.New Hampshire is the best state, and Southampton is the city with the highest pay for quality assurance scientists.

10 best states for quality assurance scientists in 2026

1. New Hampshire
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 374
Average annual salary: $82,401
Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000
Location Quotient:
1.43
Quality assurance scientist jobs in New Hampshire
2. Wisconsin
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 951
Average annual salary: $78,379
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Quality assurance scientist jobs in Wisconsin
3. New York
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 2,032
Average annual salary: $84,920
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Quality assurance scientist jobs in New York
4. North Dakota
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 135
Average annual salary: $79,095
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000
Location Quotient:
0.97
Quality assurance scientist jobs in North Dakota
5. Vermont
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 129
Average annual salary: $77,514
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Quality assurance scientist jobs in Vermont
6. Rhode Island
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 200
Average annual salary: $77,180
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Quality assurance scientist jobs in Rhode Island
7. North Carolina
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 1,783
Average annual salary: $74,121
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Quality assurance scientist jobs in North Carolina
8. Maine
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 170
Average annual salary: $78,261
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Quality assurance scientist jobs in Maine
9. Connecticut
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 639
Average annual salary: $75,269
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Quality assurance scientist jobs in Connecticut
10. Washington
Total quality assurance scientist jobs: 906
Average annual salary: $81,796
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000
Location Quotient:
0.83
Quality assurance scientist jobs in Washington

Quality assurance scientist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a quality assurance scientist

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

Detailed list of the best states for a quality assurance scientist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Hampshire	$82,401	$58,000	1,342,795	374
2	Wisconsin	$78,379	$55,000	5,795,483	951
3	New York	$84,920	$60,000	19,849,399	2,032
4	North Dakota	$79,095	$56,000	755,393	135
5	Vermont	$77,514	$54,000	623,657	129
6	Rhode Island	$77,180	$54,000	1,059,639	200
7	North Carolina	$74,121	$53,000	10,273,419	1,783
8	Maine	$78,261	$55,000	1,335,907	170
9	Connecticut	$75,269	$53,000	3,588,184	639
10	Washington	$81,796	$56,000	7,405,743	906
11	Maryland	$76,508	$54,000	6,052,177	1,425
12	District of Columbia	$89,441	$63,000	693,972	195
13	Massachusetts	$75,494	$53,000	6,859,819	1,319
14	Virginia	$69,921	$49,000	8,470,020	1,836
15	California	$71,739	$47,000	39,536,653	5,562
16	Indiana	$66,259	$46,000	6,666,818	974
17	Minnesota	$68,591	$48,000	5,576,606	986
18	Kentucky	$66,756	$47,000	4,454,189	471
19	Colorado	$69,600	$49,000	5,607,154	897
20	Wyoming	$65,921	$46,000	579,315	87
21	South Dakota	$65,683	$46,000	869,666	149
22	Nebraska	$66,818	$47,000	1,920,076	257
23	New Mexico	$65,300	$45,000	2,088,070	282
24	South Carolina	$65,748	$47,000	5,024,369	597
25	Ohio	$64,170	$45,000	11,658,609	1,285
26	Montana	$66,409	$46,000	1,050,493	142
27	Texas	$65,068	$45,000	28,304,596	2,548
28	Georgia	$66,371	$47,000	10,429,379	1,247
29	Arkansas	$64,985	$45,000	3,004,279	265
30	Pennsylvania	$62,217	$44,000	12,805,537	1,836
31	Oklahoma	$65,406	$46,000	3,930,864	193
32	Iowa	$63,444	$44,000	3,145,711	467
33	Illinois	$62,454	$44,000	12,802,023	1,983
34	Oregon	$61,348	$42,000	4,142,776	680
35	Alaska	$60,743	$48,000	739,795	115
36	Idaho	$62,351	$42,000	1,716,943	229
37	Michigan	$63,026	$44,000	9,962,311	945
38	Alabama	$62,978	$45,000	4,874,747	495
39	Arizona	$60,349	$41,000	7,016,270	813
40	West Virginia	$60,879	$42,000	1,815,857	155
41	Delaware	$51,197	$36,000	961,939	263
42	Louisiana	$63,578	$44,000	4,684,333	214
43	Utah	$51,251	$35,000	3,101,833	606
44	New Jersey	$51,555	$36,000	9,005,644	1,571
45	Hawaii	$56,716	$41,000	1,427,538	119
46	Florida	$56,425	$41,000	20,984,400	1,905
47	Kansas	$55,103	$38,000	2,913,123	345
48	Tennessee	$52,314	$37,000	6,715,984	682
49	Missouri	$51,370	$36,000	6,113,532	725
50	Nevada	$49,391	$33,000	2,998,039	229
51	Mississippi	$49,795	$35,000	2,984,100	203

Highest paying states for quality assurance scientists

Rank	State	Avg. Quality Assurance Scientist Salary
1	New Hampshire	$82,401
2	Wisconsin	$78,379
3	New York	$84,920
4	North Dakota	$79,095
5	Vermont	$77,514
6	Rhode Island	$77,180
7	North Carolina	$74,121
8	Maine	$78,261
9	Connecticut	$75,269
10	Washington	$81,796
11	Maryland	$76,508
12	District of Columbia	$89,441
13	Massachusetts	$75,494
14	Virginia	$69,921
15	California	$71,739
16	Indiana	$66,259
17	Minnesota	$68,591
18	Kentucky	$66,756
19	Colorado	$69,600
20	Wyoming	$65,921
21	South Dakota	$65,683
22	Nebraska	$66,818
23	New Mexico	$65,300
24	South Carolina	$65,748
25	Ohio	$64,170
26	Montana	$66,409
27	Texas	$65,068
28	Georgia	$66,371
29	Arkansas	$64,985
30	Pennsylvania	$62,217
31	Oklahoma	$65,406
32	Iowa	$63,444
33	Illinois	$62,454
34	Oregon	$61,348
35	Alaska	$60,743
36	Idaho	$62,351
37	Michigan	$63,026
38	Alabama	$62,978
39	Arizona	$60,349
40	West Virginia	$60,879
41	Delaware	$51,197
42	Louisiana	$63,578
43	Utah	$51,251
44	New Jersey	$51,555
45	Hawaii	$56,716
46	Florida	$56,425
47	Kansas	$55,103
48	Tennessee	$52,314
49	Missouri	$51,370
50	Nevada	$49,391
51	Mississippi	$49,795

Expert opinions on the best states for quality assurance scientists

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for quality assurance scientists to find work opportunities?
Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.
Chair, Associate Professor, Methodist University
Places that are associated with research and development, pharmaceutical or biotech companies, or large research universities are likely to have positions available for laboratory analysts. For example, our graduates are fortunate that the Research Triangle Park in the Raleigh/Durham area is close by. There are many R&D, biotech, pharmaceutical, or similar types of labs in the surrounding areas that are often looking for entry-level chemists. If a graduate is not limited by geography, then they will be able to find employment as a chemist within a few months of graduation.

Quality assurance scientist best states FAQs

What is the best state for quality assurance scientists?

What is the highest paying state for quality assurance scientists?

What is the worst state for quality assurance scientists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.

Search for quality assurance scientist jobs

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Quality Assurance Scientist
Best states for Quality Assurance Scientists

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs

Total quality assurance scientist jobs:	374
Average annual salary:	$82,401
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$58,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$115,000
Location Quotient:	1.43

Best states for a quality assurance scientist

10 best states for quality assurance scientists in 2026

1. New Hampshire

2. Wisconsin

3. New York

4. North Dakota

5. Vermont

6. Rhode Island

7. North Carolina

8. Maine

9. Connecticut

10. Washington