Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a research professor
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you want to become a research professor at University of California Press, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for research professors that you can check out, before you begin your journey. In fact, our research shows that New Jersey is the best state for research professors in America. The best city in America for research professors with the highest pay is Pasadena, CA.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for research professors. New Jersey is the best state for research professors, where the median salary is $155,981.If you are currently seeking employment as a research professor, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for research professors in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total research professor jobs: 1,150 Average annual salary: $155,981 Lowest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $240,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
2. California
Total research professor jobs: 4,414 Average annual salary: $161,114 Lowest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $242,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
3. Massachusetts
Total research professor jobs: 1,414 Average annual salary: $153,916 Lowest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $238,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
4. Rhode Island
Total research professor jobs: 156 Average annual salary: $150,454 Lowest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $234,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
5. Connecticut
Total research professor jobs: 340 Average annual salary: $176,447 Lowest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $260,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
6. Maine
Total research professor jobs: 150 Average annual salary: $149,517 Lowest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $236,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
7. Delaware
Total research professor jobs: 115 Average annual salary: $156,766 Lowest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $241,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
8. Michigan
Total research professor jobs: 924 Average annual salary: $135,769 Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $219,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
9. Indiana
Total research professor jobs: 560 Average annual salary: $153,331 Lowest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $239,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
10. New York
Total research professor jobs: 1,600 Average annual salary: $143,212 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $226,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
Research professor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research professor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research professor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $155,981 | $101,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,150 |
| 2 | California | $161,114 | $106,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,414 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $153,916 | $99,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,414 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $150,454 | $96,000 | 1,059,639 | 156 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $176,447 | $119,000 | 3,588,184 | 340 |
| 6 | Maine | $149,517 | $94,000 | 1,335,907 | 150 |
| 7 | Delaware | $156,766 | $101,000 | 961,939 | 115 |
| 8 | Michigan | $135,769 | $83,000 | 9,962,311 | 924 |
| 9 | Indiana | $153,331 | $98,000 | 6,666,818 | 560 |
| 10 | New York | $143,212 | $90,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,600 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $137,349 | $85,000 | 6,715,984 | 550 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $130,662 | $80,000 | 5,576,606 | 808 |
| 13 | Vermont | $128,446 | $77,000 | 623,657 | 140 |
| 14 | Colorado | $132,421 | $82,000 | 5,607,154 | 964 |
| 15 | Ohio | $133,731 | $82,000 | 11,658,609 | 901 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $131,385 | $80,000 | 5,795,483 | 548 |
| 17 | Arizona | $134,531 | $84,000 | 7,016,270 | 525 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $123,797 | $75,000 | 869,666 | 125 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $124,164 | $75,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,425 |
| 20 | Maryland | $149,629 | $95,000 | 6,052,177 | 391 |
| 21 | Montana | $126,890 | $80,000 | 1,050,493 | 122 |
| 22 | Oregon | $125,007 | $79,000 | 4,142,776 | 741 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $132,097 | $81,000 | 693,972 | 193 |
| 24 | Illinois | $126,920 | $76,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,226 |
| 25 | Washington | $127,207 | $80,000 | 7,405,743 | 818 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $122,543 | $74,000 | 10,273,419 | 958 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $122,143 | $75,000 | 579,315 | 60 |
| 28 | Florida | $126,322 | $76,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,486 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $122,390 | $74,000 | 1,342,795 | 184 |
| 30 | Missouri | $121,950 | $73,000 | 6,113,532 | 602 |
| 31 | Virginia | $121,344 | $73,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,137 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $120,901 | $73,000 | 3,004,279 | 152 |
| 33 | Alaska | $131,373 | $89,000 | 739,795 | 53 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $118,426 | $70,000 | 4,454,189 | 330 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $119,915 | $72,000 | 3,930,864 | 253 |
| 36 | Iowa | $119,323 | $71,000 | 3,145,711 | 294 |
| 37 | Nevada | $122,903 | $76,000 | 2,998,039 | 116 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $100,636 | $58,000 | 1,815,857 | 210 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $102,171 | $59,000 | 1,920,076 | 297 |
| 40 | Texas | $108,062 | $64,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,157 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $105,007 | $63,000 | 2,088,070 | 221 |
| 42 | Kansas | $112,273 | $66,000 | 2,913,123 | 253 |
| 43 | Alabama | $113,163 | $67,000 | 4,874,747 | 295 |
| 44 | Idaho | $114,062 | $71,000 | 1,716,943 | 134 |
| 45 | Utah | $88,417 | $53,000 | 3,101,833 | 398 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $93,528 | $54,000 | 2,984,100 | 228 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $88,304 | $50,000 | 4,684,333 | 338 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $103,156 | $61,000 | 755,393 | 72 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $92,681 | $66,000 | 1,427,538 | 69 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $94,230 | $54,000 | 5,024,369 | 211 |
| 51 | Georgia | $90,612 | $52,000 | 10,429,379 | 812 |
Highest paying states for research professors
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Professor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $155,981 |
| 2 | California | $161,114 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $153,916 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $150,454 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $176,447 |
| 6 | Maine | $149,517 |
| 7 | Delaware | $156,766 |
| 8 | Michigan | $135,769 |
| 9 | Indiana | $153,331 |
| 10 | New York | $143,212 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $137,349 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $130,662 |
| 13 | Vermont | $128,446 |
| 14 | Colorado | $132,421 |
| 15 | Ohio | $133,731 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $131,385 |
| 17 | Arizona | $134,531 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $123,797 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $124,164 |
| 20 | Maryland | $149,629 |
| 21 | Montana | $126,890 |
| 22 | Oregon | $125,007 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $132,097 |
| 24 | Illinois | $126,920 |
| 25 | Washington | $127,207 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $122,543 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $122,143 |
| 28 | Florida | $126,322 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $122,390 |
| 30 | Missouri | $121,950 |
| 31 | Virginia | $121,344 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $120,901 |
| 33 | Alaska | $131,373 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $118,426 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $119,915 |
| 36 | Iowa | $119,323 |
| 37 | Nevada | $122,903 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $100,636 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $102,171 |
| 40 | Texas | $108,062 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $105,007 |
| 42 | Kansas | $112,273 |
| 43 | Alabama | $113,163 |
| 44 | Idaho | $114,062 |
| 45 | Utah | $88,417 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $93,528 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $88,304 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $103,156 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $92,681 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $94,230 |
| 51 | Georgia | $90,612 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research professors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research 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.
Research professor best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
Search for research professor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025