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Best states for a quality control
Quoted expert
Dr. James Leahy Ph.D.
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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and life, physical, and social science careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to quality control jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for quality controls.Our research shows that California is the best state in the country for quality controls.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for quality controls.We found that California is the best state for quality control jobs, whereas West Virginia is the worst.
10 best states for quality controls in 2025
1. California
Total quality control jobs: 4,726 Average annual salary: $41,286 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.292. Nevada
Total quality control jobs: 224 Average annual salary: $42,565 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 0.863. Oregon
Total quality control jobs: 447 Average annual salary: $41,484 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 0.864. Minnesota
Total quality control jobs: 989 Average annual salary: $34,446 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.195. Washington
Total quality control jobs: 827 Average annual salary: $40,204 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.916. North Dakota
Total quality control jobs: 92 Average annual salary: $39,565 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.797. Idaho
Total quality control jobs: 161 Average annual salary: $40,751 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.788. Maryland
Total quality control jobs: 890 Average annual salary: $34,462 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.129. Connecticut
Total quality control jobs: 451 Average annual salary: $33,506 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.0910. Indiana
Total quality control jobs: 967 Average annual salary: $30,824 Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
Quality control jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a quality control
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a quality control
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $41,286 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,726 |
| 2 | Nevada | $42,565 | $30,000 | 2,998,039 | 224 |
| 3 | Oregon | $41,484 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 447 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $34,446 | $25,000 | 5,576,606 | 989 |
| 5 | Washington | $40,204 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 827 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $39,565 | $29,000 | 755,393 | 92 |
| 7 | Idaho | $40,751 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 161 |
| 8 | Maryland | $34,462 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 890 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $33,506 | $22,000 | 3,588,184 | 451 |
| 10 | Indiana | $30,824 | $22,000 | 6,666,818 | 967 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $32,856 | $21,000 | 1,059,639 | 149 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $34,061 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 63 |
| 13 | Utah | $30,824 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 522 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $30,956 | $20,000 | 1,342,795 | 328 |
| 15 | Vermont | $34,086 | $23,000 | 623,657 | 79 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $30,390 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 840 |
| 17 | Colorado | $34,633 | $25,000 | 5,607,154 | 654 |
| 18 | Maine | $34,026 | $23,000 | 1,335,907 | 128 |
| 19 | Montana | $35,279 | $26,000 | 1,050,493 | 87 |
| 20 | Arizona | $32,882 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 664 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $33,700 | $24,000 | 2,088,070 | 185 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $37,912 | $29,000 | 1,427,538 | 83 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $31,723 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 241 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $29,650 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,455 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $30,480 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,450 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $31,463 | $23,000 | 869,666 | 80 |
| 27 | Alaska | $33,341 | $27,000 | 739,795 | 73 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $29,334 | $21,000 | 3,004,279 | 284 |
| 29 | New York | $30,968 | $20,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,496 |
| 30 | Illinois | $29,009 | $21,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,415 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $30,595 | $22,000 | 3,930,864 | 207 |
| 32 | Georgia | $27,623 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,306 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $30,278 | $20,000 | 6,859,819 | 960 |
| 34 | Ohio | $26,941 | $19,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,214 |
| 35 | Texas | $27,703 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,415 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $26,782 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 604 |
| 37 | Virginia | $27,527 | $19,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,183 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $30,717 | $21,000 | 693,972 | 155 |
| 39 | Kansas | $27,682 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 306 |
| 40 | Alabama | $25,804 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 524 |
| 41 | Michigan | $24,958 | $17,000 | 9,962,311 | 990 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $28,687 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 208 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $24,428 | $17,000 | 4,454,189 | 479 |
| 44 | New Jersey | $24,095 | $16,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,160 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $24,605 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 694 |
| 46 | Missouri | $26,840 | $19,000 | 6,113,532 | 607 |
| 47 | Delaware | $21,280 | $14,000 | 961,939 | 169 |
| 48 | Florida | $24,609 | $17,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,719 |
| 49 | Iowa | $23,898 | $17,000 | 3,145,711 | 398 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $22,036 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 258 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $24,962 | $17,000 | 1,815,857 | 112 |
Highest paying states for quality controls
| Rank | State | Avg. Quality Control Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $41,286 |
| 2 | Nevada | $42,565 |
| 3 | Oregon | $41,484 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $34,446 |
| 5 | Washington | $40,204 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $39,565 |
| 7 | Idaho | $40,751 |
| 8 | Maryland | $34,462 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $33,506 |
| 10 | Indiana | $30,824 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $32,856 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $34,061 |
| 13 | Utah | $30,824 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $30,956 |
| 15 | Vermont | $34,086 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $30,390 |
| 17 | Colorado | $34,633 |
| 18 | Maine | $34,026 |
| 19 | Montana | $35,279 |
| 20 | Arizona | $32,882 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $33,700 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $37,912 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $31,723 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $29,650 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $30,480 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $31,463 |
| 27 | Alaska | $33,341 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $29,334 |
| 29 | New York | $30,968 |
| 30 | Illinois | $29,009 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $30,595 |
| 32 | Georgia | $27,623 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $30,278 |
| 34 | Ohio | $26,941 |
| 35 | Texas | $27,703 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $26,782 |
| 37 | Virginia | $27,527 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $30,717 |
| 39 | Kansas | $27,682 |
| 40 | Alabama | $25,804 |
| 41 | Michigan | $24,958 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $28,687 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $24,428 |
| 44 | New Jersey | $24,095 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $24,605 |
| 46 | Missouri | $26,840 |
| 47 | Delaware | $21,280 |
| 48 | Florida | $24,609 |
| 49 | Iowa | $23,898 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $22,036 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $24,962 |
Expert opinions on the best states for quality controls
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for quality controls to find work opportunities?
Dr. James Leahy Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry, University of South Florida
One of the great things about chemistry is that there are so many areas for our graduates to work, whether in health care, quality control, energy, defense, or elsewhere. Each of these areas is well represented geographically, with specific concentrations for each. Much of the energy research is based in Texas and Oklahoma. Defense research is often proximal to bases. Healthcare research has hubs in the northeast (primarily Boston) and west coast (mainly the Bay area). Quality control is often wherever manufacturing is taking place. We're fortunate that many of these opportunities are present in the Tampa area, with solar energy, MacDill, biotech companies, and manufacturers like Yuengling and Coca Cola, nearby.
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Updated January 8, 2025