Best states for a research consultant

Q: What is the best state for research consultants?

The best state to be a research consultant is New Jersey based on research consultant salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for research consultants?

The highest paying state for research consultants is Hawaii based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for research consultants?

The worst state for research consultants is Hawaii, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Elizabeth Gordon

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Do you want to become a research consultant at American Airlines, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for research consultants that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of research consultants in America is $115,000.

We figured that the best places for research consultant 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.We found that the Midwest is best for research consultants, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for research consultant jobs, where as New Jersey is the best state in the country.

10 best states for research consultants in 2026

1. New Jersey
Total research consultant jobs: 984
Average annual salary: $106,503
Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Research consultant jobs in New Jersey
2. Pennsylvania
Total research consultant jobs: 1,526
Average annual salary: $89,597
Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Research consultant jobs in Pennsylvania
3. District of Columbia
Total research consultant jobs: 207
Average annual salary: $104,541
Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000
Location Quotient:
1.2
Research consultant jobs in District of Columbia
4. North Carolina
Total research consultant jobs: 901
Average annual salary: $92,492
Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Research consultant jobs in North Carolina
5. Delaware
Total research consultant jobs: 117
Average annual salary: $99,585
Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Research consultant jobs in Delaware
6. Colorado
Total research consultant jobs: 642
Average annual salary: $90,547
Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Research consultant jobs in Colorado
7. New York
Total research consultant jobs: 875
Average annual salary: $109,127
Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $150,000
Location Quotient:
0.66
Research consultant jobs in New York
8. Maine
Total research consultant jobs: 123
Average annual salary: $92,970
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
Research consultant jobs in Maine
9. Washington
Total research consultant jobs: 652
Average annual salary: $98,502
Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Research consultant jobs in Washington
10. Minnesota
Total research consultant jobs: 759
Average annual salary: $86,204
Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Research consultant jobs in Minnesota

Research consultant jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a research consultant

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

Detailed list of the best states for a research consultant

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Jersey	$106,503	$77,000	9,005,644	984
2	Pennsylvania	$89,597	$64,000	12,805,537	1,526
3	District of Columbia	$104,541	$75,000	693,972	207
4	North Carolina	$92,492	$65,000	10,273,419	901
5	Delaware	$99,585	$71,000	961,939	117
6	Colorado	$90,547	$64,000	5,607,154	642
7	New York	$109,127	$78,000	19,849,399	875
8	Maine	$92,970	$68,000	1,335,907	123
9	Washington	$98,502	$70,000	7,405,743	652
10	Minnesota	$86,204	$64,000	5,576,606	759
11	Oregon	$85,978	$61,000	4,142,776	648
12	Virginia	$89,464	$64,000	8,470,020	941
13	Alabama	$79,818	$54,000	4,874,747	691
14	Massachusetts	$89,371	$65,000	6,859,819	870
15	California	$86,714	$59,000	39,536,653	4,427
16	Ohio	$84,385	$61,000	11,658,609	931
17	South Carolina	$89,641	$62,000	5,024,369	215
18	Illinois	$84,108	$61,000	12,802,023	1,226
19	Connecticut	$85,586	$62,000	3,588,184	334
20	Michigan	$79,035	$57,000	9,962,311	809
21	Georgia	$84,350	$58,000	10,429,379	838
22	New Hampshire	$79,315	$58,000	1,342,795	203
23	Texas	$80,998	$55,000	28,304,596	1,899
24	Vermont	$78,214	$57,000	623,657	108
25	Rhode Island	$76,969	$55,000	1,059,639	175
26	Idaho	$81,796	$57,000	1,716,943	131
27	Kentucky	$80,107	$57,000	4,454,189	207
28	Oklahoma	$69,942	$49,000	3,930,864	640
29	Nevada	$79,823	$54,000	2,998,039	143
30	South Dakota	$67,950	$49,000	869,666	262
31	Tennessee	$71,224	$50,000	6,715,984	578
32	Wisconsin	$76,202	$56,000	5,795,483	445
33	Missouri	$72,032	$51,000	6,113,532	604
34	Alaska	$82,318	$68,000	739,795	21
35	Iowa	$75,925	$55,000	3,145,711	209
36	Arkansas	$74,994	$52,000	3,004,279	145
37	New Mexico	$70,125	$48,000	2,088,070	199
38	Utah	$69,177	$47,000	3,101,833	342
39	Maryland	$81,358	$58,000	6,052,177	306
40	Arizona	$70,168	$49,000	7,016,270	563
41	Mississippi	$60,239	$41,000	2,984,100	375
42	Indiana	$68,806	$49,000	6,666,818	527
43	West Virginia	$67,506	$48,000	1,815,857	127
44	Wyoming	$63,610	$44,000	579,315	58
45	Louisiana	$69,166	$46,000	4,684,333	181
46	Montana	$63,264	$44,000	1,050,493	111
47	Florida	$61,394	$41,000	20,984,400	1,487
48	Kansas	$66,066	$47,000	2,913,123	224
49	Nebraska	$63,595	$46,000	1,920,076	207
50	North Dakota	$64,368	$48,000	755,393	70
51	Hawaii	$47,543	$40,000	1,427,538	70

Highest paying states for research consultants

Rank	State	Avg. Research Consultant Salary
1	New Jersey	$106,503
2	Pennsylvania	$89,597
3	District of Columbia	$104,541
4	North Carolina	$92,492
5	Delaware	$99,585
6	Colorado	$90,547
7	New York	$109,127
8	Maine	$92,970
9	Washington	$98,502
10	Minnesota	$86,204
11	Oregon	$85,978
12	Virginia	$89,464
13	Alabama	$79,818
14	Massachusetts	$89,371
15	California	$86,714
16	Ohio	$84,385
17	South Carolina	$89,641
18	Illinois	$84,108
19	Connecticut	$85,586
20	Michigan	$79,035
21	Georgia	$84,350
22	New Hampshire	$79,315
23	Texas	$80,998
24	Vermont	$78,214
25	Rhode Island	$76,969
26	Idaho	$81,796
27	Kentucky	$80,107
28	Oklahoma	$69,942
29	Nevada	$79,823
30	South Dakota	$67,950
31	Tennessee	$71,224
32	Wisconsin	$76,202
33	Missouri	$72,032
34	Alaska	$82,318
35	Iowa	$75,925
36	Arkansas	$74,994
37	New Mexico	$70,125
38	Utah	$69,177
39	Maryland	$81,358
40	Arizona	$70,168
41	Mississippi	$60,239
42	Indiana	$68,806
43	West Virginia	$67,506
44	Wyoming	$63,610
45	Louisiana	$69,166
46	Montana	$63,264
47	Florida	$61,394
48	Kansas	$66,066
49	Nebraska	$63,595
50	North Dakota	$64,368
51	Hawaii	$47,543

Expert opinions on the best states for research consultants

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research consultants to find work opportunities?
Elizabeth Gordon
Chair and Professor, Temple University
Almost every type of organization, whether a corporation, a non-profit, or a government entity, needs an accountant. So, there will be opportunities for accounting majors throughout the United States. Regions that are growing will be particularly good places in the United States to find work opportunities after graduation.

Research consultant best states FAQs

What is the best state for research consultants?

What is the highest paying state for research consultants?

What is the worst state for research consultants?

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Search for research consultant jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse business and financial jobs

Total research consultant jobs:	984
Average annual salary:	$106,503
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$77,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$147,000
Location Quotient:	1.21

Best states for a research consultant

10 best states for research consultants in 2026

1. New Jersey

2. Pennsylvania

3. District of Columbia

4. North Carolina

5. Delaware

6. Colorado

7. New York

8. Maine

9. Washington

10. Minnesota