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Best states for a research investigator
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for research investigators? 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 research investigator jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for research investigators. We found that California is the best state in the nation for research investigators, and people in Mililani Town earn the most in the field.
We figured that the best places for research investigator 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 California is the best state for research investigator jobs, whereas Mississippi is the worst.
10 best states for research investigators in 2026
1. California
Total research investigator jobs: 6,080 Average annual salary: $135,243 Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $210,000 Location Quotient: 1.68
2. New Jersey
Total research investigator jobs: 1,253 Average annual salary: $133,416 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
3. Connecticut
Total research investigator jobs: 403 Average annual salary: $133,560 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
4. Massachusetts
Total research investigator jobs: 2,538 Average annual salary: $105,954 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 2.23
5. Delaware
Total research investigator jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $114,362 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $169,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
6. Hawaii
Total research investigator jobs: 85 Average annual salary: $155,676 Lowest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $227,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
7. Rhode Island
Total research investigator jobs: 157 Average annual salary: $104,722 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
8. Tennessee
Total research investigator jobs: 616 Average annual salary: $111,323 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
9. Oregon
Total research investigator jobs: 717 Average annual salary: $96,363 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
10. Pennsylvania
Total research investigator jobs: 1,489 Average annual salary: $96,348 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
Research investigator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research investigator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research investigator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $135,243 | $86,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,080 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $133,416 | $90,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,253 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $133,560 | $90,000 | 3,588,184 | 403 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $105,954 | $71,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,538 |
| 5 | Delaware | $114,362 | $77,000 | 961,939 | 159 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $155,676 | $106,000 | 1,427,538 | 85 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $104,722 | $70,000 | 1,059,639 | 157 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $111,323 | $76,000 | 6,715,984 | 616 |
| 9 | Oregon | $96,363 | $58,000 | 4,142,776 | 717 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $96,348 | $64,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,489 |
| 11 | Alaska | $136,308 | $85,000 | 739,795 | 40 |
| 12 | Illinois | $95,345 | $65,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,413 |
| 13 | Maryland | $97,432 | $65,000 | 6,052,177 | 706 |
| 14 | Indiana | $100,878 | $69,000 | 6,666,818 | 587 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $98,514 | $66,000 | 10,273,419 | 913 |
| 16 | Virginia | $97,474 | $66,000 | 8,470,020 | 969 |
| 17 | New York | $88,821 | $59,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,398 |
| 18 | Arizona | $92,799 | $60,000 | 7,016,270 | 595 |
| 19 | Maine | $95,774 | $64,000 | 1,335,907 | 128 |
| 20 | Washington | $85,482 | $52,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,069 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $92,477 | $62,000 | 693,972 | 242 |
| 22 | Vermont | $81,077 | $54,000 | 623,657 | 106 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $83,879 | $57,000 | 5,795,483 | 547 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $81,959 | $57,000 | 5,576,606 | 690 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $78,434 | $52,000 | 1,342,795 | 192 |
| 26 | Nevada | $89,387 | $56,000 | 2,998,039 | 127 |
| 27 | Michigan | $77,763 | $52,000 | 9,962,311 | 756 |
| 28 | Ohio | $77,944 | $52,000 | 11,658,609 | 906 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $72,850 | $50,000 | 579,315 | 63 |
| 30 | Colorado | $68,343 | $47,000 | 5,607,154 | 901 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $70,626 | $49,000 | 869,666 | 96 |
| 32 | Montana | $75,318 | $51,000 | 1,050,493 | 99 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $65,869 | $45,000 | 1,920,076 | 238 |
| 34 | Idaho | $71,351 | $45,000 | 1,716,943 | 153 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $72,148 | $49,000 | 4,454,189 | 261 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $65,299 | $44,000 | 1,815,857 | 155 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $63,426 | $42,000 | 2,088,070 | 227 |
| 38 | Missouri | $64,276 | $44,000 | 6,113,532 | 619 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $69,469 | $48,000 | 3,004,279 | 151 |
| 40 | Georgia | $67,083 | $45,000 | 10,429,379 | 902 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $67,996 | $47,000 | 3,930,864 | 233 |
| 42 | Florida | $62,539 | $43,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,727 |
| 43 | Alabama | $66,467 | $45,000 | 4,874,747 | 229 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $63,610 | $44,000 | 755,393 | 75 |
| 45 | Kansas | $62,601 | $43,000 | 2,913,123 | 238 |
| 46 | Texas | $56,735 | $37,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,943 |
| 47 | Utah | $50,438 | $34,000 | 3,101,833 | 319 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $61,984 | $42,000 | 5,024,369 | 196 |
| 49 | Iowa | $58,328 | $40,000 | 3,145,711 | 292 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $52,124 | $35,000 | 4,684,333 | 258 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $54,086 | $36,000 | 2,984,100 | 149 |
Highest paying states for research investigators
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Investigator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $135,243 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $133,416 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $133,560 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $105,954 |
| 5 | Delaware | $114,362 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $155,676 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $104,722 |
| 8 | Tennessee | $111,323 |
| 9 | Oregon | $96,363 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $96,348 |
| 11 | Alaska | $136,308 |
| 12 | Illinois | $95,345 |
| 13 | Maryland | $97,432 |
| 14 | Indiana | $100,878 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $98,514 |
| 16 | Virginia | $97,474 |
| 17 | New York | $88,821 |
| 18 | Arizona | $92,799 |
| 19 | Maine | $95,774 |
| 20 | Washington | $85,482 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $92,477 |
| 22 | Vermont | $81,077 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $83,879 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $81,959 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $78,434 |
| 26 | Nevada | $89,387 |
| 27 | Michigan | $77,763 |
| 28 | Ohio | $77,944 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $72,850 |
| 30 | Colorado | $68,343 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $70,626 |
| 32 | Montana | $75,318 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $65,869 |
| 34 | Idaho | $71,351 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $72,148 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $65,299 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $63,426 |
| 38 | Missouri | $64,276 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $69,469 |
| 40 | Georgia | $67,083 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $67,996 |
| 42 | Florida | $62,539 |
| 43 | Alabama | $66,467 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $63,610 |
| 45 | Kansas | $62,601 |
| 46 | Texas | $56,735 |
| 47 | Utah | $50,438 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $61,984 |
| 49 | Iowa | $58,328 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $52,124 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $54,086 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research investigators
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research investigators 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