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Best states for a research environmental scientist
Quoted expert
Min Yun
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Research environmental scientist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for research environmental scientists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for research environmental scientists.In order to help you decide which state is the best for research environmental scientists, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for research environmental scientist jobs.
Virginia is the best state for jobs for research environmental scientists, and Alabama is the worst. The most common pay in Virginia is $81,665, while the median pay in Alabama is $46,185.We found that Virginia is the best state for research environmental scientist jobs, whereas Alabama is the worst.
10 best states for research environmental scientists in 2025
1. Virginia
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 1,782 Average annual salary: $81,665 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
2. Connecticut
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 628 Average annual salary: $80,048 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
3. California
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 5,203 Average annual salary: $86,587 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
4. New Hampshire
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 299 Average annual salary: $74,355 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
5. Oregon
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 747 Average annual salary: $73,675 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
6. Delaware
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 222 Average annual salary: $73,550 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
7. West Virginia
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 197 Average annual salary: $75,997 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
8. Colorado
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 1,038 Average annual salary: $73,357 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
9. Massachusetts
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 711 Average annual salary: $92,461 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 0.55
10. Nevada
Total research environmental scientist jobs: 196 Average annual salary: $78,746 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
Research environmental scientist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research environmental scientist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research environmental scientist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $81,665 | $54,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,782 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $80,048 | $55,000 | 3,588,184 | 628 |
| 3 | California | $86,587 | $58,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,203 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $74,355 | $52,000 | 1,342,795 | 299 |
| 5 | Oregon | $73,675 | $51,000 | 4,142,776 | 747 |
| 6 | Delaware | $73,550 | $50,000 | 961,939 | 222 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $75,997 | $51,000 | 1,815,857 | 197 |
| 8 | Colorado | $73,357 | $50,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,038 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $92,461 | $65,000 | 6,859,819 | 711 |
| 10 | Nevada | $78,746 | $52,000 | 2,998,039 | 196 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $98,671 | $66,000 | 693,972 | 92 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $72,708 | $50,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,455 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $70,337 | $49,000 | 1,059,639 | 211 |
| 14 | New York | $70,877 | $48,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,714 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $71,816 | $48,000 | 3,930,864 | 295 |
| 16 | Texas | $71,109 | $46,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,404 |
| 17 | Washington | $75,755 | $53,000 | 7,405,743 | 672 |
| 18 | Maryland | $74,243 | $50,000 | 6,052,177 | 860 |
| 19 | Idaho | $68,006 | $47,000 | 1,716,943 | 241 |
| 20 | Ohio | $68,743 | $46,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,200 |
| 21 | Illinois | $68,118 | $47,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,934 |
| 22 | Michigan | $68,331 | $46,000 | 9,962,311 | 975 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $66,700 | $44,000 | 6,715,984 | 730 |
| 24 | Montana | $65,788 | $46,000 | 1,050,493 | 164 |
| 25 | Kansas | $66,588 | $45,000 | 2,913,123 | 392 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $63,791 | $42,000 | 2,088,070 | 323 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $62,067 | $42,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,889 |
| 28 | Indiana | $65,243 | $44,000 | 6,666,818 | 796 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $67,735 | $52,000 | 1,427,538 | 143 |
| 30 | Georgia | $64,744 | $41,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,260 |
| 31 | Utah | $61,940 | $42,000 | 3,101,833 | 464 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $64,106 | $45,000 | 5,576,606 | 905 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $62,264 | $40,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,355 |
| 34 | Vermont | $57,371 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 157 |
| 35 | Arizona | $61,978 | $41,000 | 7,016,270 | 800 |
| 36 | Maine | $57,513 | $41,000 | 1,335,907 | 231 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $63,496 | $40,000 | 4,684,333 | 298 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $56,413 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 103 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $56,603 | $39,000 | 5,795,483 | 826 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $54,815 | $38,000 | 755,393 | 159 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $54,041 | $38,000 | 869,666 | 180 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $56,491 | $39,000 | 1,920,076 | 287 |
| 43 | Alaska | $59,770 | $47,000 | 739,795 | 96 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $58,520 | $38,000 | 3,004,279 | 241 |
| 45 | Missouri | $55,962 | $38,000 | 6,113,532 | 787 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $56,770 | $36,000 | 2,984,100 | 172 |
| 47 | Florida | $45,834 | $28,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,216 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $52,470 | $35,000 | 4,454,189 | 325 |
| 49 | Iowa | $51,285 | $35,000 | 3,145,711 | 404 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $50,427 | $32,000 | 5,024,369 | 382 |
| 51 | Alabama | $46,185 | $29,000 | 4,874,747 | 317 |
Highest paying states for research environmental scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Environmental Scientist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $81,665 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $80,048 |
| 3 | California | $86,587 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $74,355 |
| 5 | Oregon | $73,675 |
| 6 | Delaware | $73,550 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $75,997 |
| 8 | Colorado | $73,357 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $92,461 |
| 10 | Nevada | $78,746 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $98,671 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $72,708 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $70,337 |
| 14 | New York | $70,877 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $71,816 |
| 16 | Texas | $71,109 |
| 17 | Washington | $75,755 |
| 18 | Maryland | $74,243 |
| 19 | Idaho | $68,006 |
| 20 | Ohio | $68,743 |
| 21 | Illinois | $68,118 |
| 22 | Michigan | $68,331 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $66,700 |
| 24 | Montana | $65,788 |
| 25 | Kansas | $66,588 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $63,791 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $62,067 |
| 28 | Indiana | $65,243 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $67,735 |
| 30 | Georgia | $64,744 |
| 31 | Utah | $61,940 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $64,106 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $62,264 |
| 34 | Vermont | $57,371 |
| 35 | Arizona | $61,978 |
| 36 | Maine | $57,513 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $63,496 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $56,413 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $56,603 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $54,815 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $54,041 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $56,491 |
| 43 | Alaska | $59,770 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $58,520 |
| 45 | Missouri | $55,962 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $56,770 |
| 47 | Florida | $45,834 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $52,470 |
| 49 | Iowa | $51,285 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $50,427 |
| 51 | Alabama | $46,185 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research environmental scientists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research environmental scientists to find work opportunities?
Min Yun
Professor of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts
Our students almost exclusively find jobs in education or technology-driven companies, and they tend to be in population centers along the East and West Coasts. Many of the top graduate programs are in the same areas as well.
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Updated January 8, 2025