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Best states for a research assistant professor
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to research assistant professor 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. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for research assistant professor jobs.
The median salary for research assistant professors in Massachusetts is $90,744. Compare that to the median salary in Alabama of $56,570, which ranked worst for research assistant professors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a research assistant professor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for research assistant professors in 2025
1. Massachusetts
Total research assistant professor jobs: 2,576 Average annual salary: $90,744 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location Quotient: 2.28
2. Oregon
Total research assistant professor jobs: 794 Average annual salary: $85,028 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
3. District of Columbia
Total research assistant professor jobs: 285 Average annual salary: $93,043 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
4. California
Total research assistant professor jobs: 4,488 Average annual salary: $89,697 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
5. Rhode Island
Total research assistant professor jobs: 180 Average annual salary: $81,824 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
6. New Jersey
Total research assistant professor jobs: 1,295 Average annual salary: $83,255 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
7. West Virginia
Total research assistant professor jobs: 233 Average annual salary: $76,105 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
8. Georgia
Total research assistant professor jobs: 815 Average annual salary: $86,939 Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
9. Delaware
Total research assistant professor jobs: 116 Average annual salary: $81,639 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
10. Illinois
Total research assistant professor jobs: 1,239 Average annual salary: $77,394 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
Research assistant professor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research assistant professor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research assistant professor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $90,744 | $64,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,576 |
| 2 | Oregon | $85,028 | $60,000 | 4,142,776 | 794 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $93,043 | $67,000 | 693,972 | 285 |
| 4 | California | $89,697 | $62,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,488 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $81,824 | $58,000 | 1,059,639 | 180 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $83,255 | $60,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,295 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $76,105 | $56,000 | 1,815,857 | 233 |
| 8 | Georgia | $86,939 | $63,000 | 10,429,379 | 815 |
| 9 | Delaware | $81,639 | $59,000 | 961,939 | 116 |
| 10 | Illinois | $77,394 | $57,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,239 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $76,073 | $53,000 | 1,342,795 | 192 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $76,329 | $56,000 | 4,454,189 | 329 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $76,374 | $54,000 | 4,684,333 | 308 |
| 14 | Washington | $76,243 | $54,000 | 7,405,743 | 892 |
| 15 | Ohio | $74,015 | $54,000 | 11,658,609 | 995 |
| 16 | Alaska | $74,476 | $57,000 | 739,795 | 119 |
| 17 | Nevada | $78,288 | $54,000 | 2,998,039 | 120 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $73,857 | $54,000 | 5,576,606 | 815 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $73,296 | $53,000 | 10,273,419 | 995 |
| 20 | New York | $74,503 | $53,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,336 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $71,811 | $51,000 | 2,088,070 | 217 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $70,216 | $50,000 | 2,984,100 | 236 |
| 23 | Virginia | $73,188 | $53,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,132 |
| 24 | Idaho | $73,007 | $53,000 | 1,716,943 | 137 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $68,387 | $49,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,725 |
| 26 | Indiana | $71,347 | $52,000 | 6,666,818 | 581 |
| 27 | Maryland | $75,147 | $54,000 | 6,052,177 | 617 |
| 28 | Michigan | $68,174 | $50,000 | 9,962,311 | 935 |
| 29 | Missouri | $70,728 | $52,000 | 6,113,532 | 618 |
| 30 | Colorado | $70,367 | $51,000 | 5,607,154 | 970 |
| 31 | Arizona | $72,435 | $51,000 | 7,016,270 | 534 |
| 32 | Connecticut | $72,343 | $51,000 | 3,588,184 | 346 |
| 33 | Utah | $67,393 | $48,000 | 3,101,833 | 397 |
| 34 | Florida | $70,885 | $50,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,562 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $65,793 | $48,000 | 1,920,076 | 305 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $66,043 | $48,000 | 6,715,984 | 618 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $71,073 | $51,000 | 5,024,369 | 249 |
| 38 | Maine | $66,409 | $46,000 | 1,335,907 | 159 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $65,494 | $48,000 | 5,795,483 | 571 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $62,792 | $46,000 | 869,666 | 132 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $67,176 | $49,000 | 3,004,279 | 158 |
| 42 | Vermont | $56,934 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 141 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $63,926 | $47,000 | 579,315 | 60 |
| 44 | Montana | $64,653 | $47,000 | 1,050,493 | 115 |
| 45 | Kansas | $64,303 | $47,000 | 2,913,123 | 243 |
| 46 | Texas | $58,075 | $41,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,293 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $63,968 | $47,000 | 755,393 | 72 |
| 48 | Iowa | $62,792 | $46,000 | 3,145,711 | 289 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $59,042 | $45,000 | 1,427,538 | 70 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $54,961 | $40,000 | 3,930,864 | 259 |
| 51 | Alabama | $56,570 | $41,000 | 4,874,747 | 303 |
Highest paying states for research assistant professors
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Assistant Professor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $90,744 |
| 2 | Oregon | $85,028 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $93,043 |
| 4 | California | $89,697 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $81,824 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $83,255 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $76,105 |
| 8 | Georgia | $86,939 |
| 9 | Delaware | $81,639 |
| 10 | Illinois | $77,394 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $76,073 |
| 12 | Kentucky | $76,329 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $76,374 |
| 14 | Washington | $76,243 |
| 15 | Ohio | $74,015 |
| 16 | Alaska | $74,476 |
| 17 | Nevada | $78,288 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $73,857 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $73,296 |
| 20 | New York | $74,503 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $71,811 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $70,216 |
| 23 | Virginia | $73,188 |
| 24 | Idaho | $73,007 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $68,387 |
| 26 | Indiana | $71,347 |
| 27 | Maryland | $75,147 |
| 28 | Michigan | $68,174 |
| 29 | Missouri | $70,728 |
| 30 | Colorado | $70,367 |
| 31 | Arizona | $72,435 |
| 32 | Connecticut | $72,343 |
| 33 | Utah | $67,393 |
| 34 | Florida | $70,885 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $65,793 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $66,043 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $71,073 |
| 38 | Maine | $66,409 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $65,494 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $62,792 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $67,176 |
| 42 | Vermont | $56,934 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $63,926 |
| 44 | Montana | $64,653 |
| 45 | Kansas | $64,303 |
| 46 | Texas | $58,075 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $63,968 |
| 48 | Iowa | $62,792 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $59,042 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $54,961 |
| 51 | Alabama | $56,570 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research assistant professors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research assistant professors to find work opportunities?
Don Snyder
Associate Director, Industry Advising: STEM, William and Mary
Strong tech markets in the U.S. include Austin, Raleigh, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Columbus. Some markets are established in tech, while other markets are more up-and-coming. Smaller cities that may be "off the radar" include Huntsville and Tucson. Graduates need to look at different factors when exploring cities, including the cost of living. The dollar will go a lot further in Raleigh than in San Francisco. And some cities that were once more affordable may have a higher cost of living now due to the recent influx of residents.
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Updated January 8, 2025