Best states for a research specialist

Q: What is the best state for research specialists?

The best state to be a research specialist is Oregon based on research specialist salaries and job opportunities.

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

The highest paying state for research specialists is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for research specialists?

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

Quoted expert

Don Snyder

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Are you thinking of becoming a research specialist and really want to work at The Howard Hughes Medical Institute? Turns out, your chances to become a research specialist are better in some states than others.Although there are abundant research specialist jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Oregon is the best state in the country for research specialist jobs.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for research specialists. Oregon is the best state for research specialists, where the median salary is $68,064.If you are currently seeking employment as a research specialist, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for research specialists in 2026

1. Oregon
Total research specialist jobs: 849
Average annual salary: $68,064
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Research specialist jobs in Oregon
2. Delaware
Total research specialist jobs: 224
Average annual salary: $74,145
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Research specialist jobs in Delaware
3. Washington
Total research specialist jobs: 1,056
Average annual salary: $82,662
Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Research specialist jobs in Washington
4. New Jersey
Total research specialist jobs: 1,347
Average annual salary: $65,133
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000
Location Quotient:
1.09
Research specialist jobs in New Jersey
5. Minnesota
Total research specialist jobs: 1,072
Average annual salary: $61,459
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Research specialist jobs in Minnesota
6. Massachusetts
Total research specialist jobs: 2,543
Average annual salary: $59,858
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000
Location Quotient:
1.78
Research specialist jobs in Massachusetts
7. New York
Total research specialist jobs: 1,910
Average annual salary: $68,411
Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Research specialist jobs in New York
8. Colorado
Total research specialist jobs: 913
Average annual salary: $61,613
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Research specialist jobs in Colorado
9. Maine
Total research specialist jobs: 190
Average annual salary: $63,598
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000
Location Quotient:
0.92
Research specialist jobs in Maine
10. Michigan
Total research specialist jobs: 1,185
Average annual salary: $58,748
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Research specialist jobs in Michigan

Research specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a research specialist

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

Detailed list of the best states for a research specialist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Oregon	$68,064	$43,000	4,142,776	849
2	Delaware	$74,145	$48,000	961,939	224
3	Washington	$82,662	$51,000	7,405,743	1,056
4	New Jersey	$65,133	$42,000	9,005,644	1,347
5	Minnesota	$61,459	$39,000	5,576,606	1,072
6	Massachusetts	$59,858	$39,000	6,859,819	2,543
7	New York	$68,411	$44,000	19,849,399	1,910
8	Colorado	$61,613	$39,000	5,607,154	913
9	Maine	$63,598	$42,000	1,335,907	190
10	Michigan	$58,748	$37,000	9,962,311	1,185
11	District of Columbia	$62,549	$40,000	693,972	316
12	Alaska	$69,301	$53,000	739,795	109
13	Utah	$55,671	$35,000	3,101,833	580
14	California	$59,139	$39,000	39,536,653	5,741
15	Idaho	$58,984	$37,000	1,716,943	242
16	Connecticut	$59,946	$39,000	3,588,184	476
17	Ohio	$56,853	$36,000	11,658,609	1,392
18	New Hampshire	$52,870	$35,000	1,342,795	302
19	North Carolina	$52,379	$34,000	10,273,419	1,468
20	Pennsylvania	$50,520	$32,000	12,805,537	2,121
21	Texas	$54,473	$36,000	28,304,596	2,881
22	Rhode Island	$50,167	$33,000	1,059,639	259
23	South Dakota	$49,689	$31,000	869,666	178
24	Iowa	$53,632	$34,000	3,145,711	464
25	Nebraska	$50,811	$32,000	1,920,076	358
26	Virginia	$53,927	$35,000	8,470,020	1,390
27	Indiana	$52,807	$34,000	6,666,818	809
28	Illinois	$52,281	$33,000	12,802,023	1,756
29	North Dakota	$48,623	$30,000	755,393	140
30	Vermont	$46,838	$31,000	623,657	185
31	Wyoming	$46,391	$29,000	579,315	113
32	Tennessee	$48,345	$31,000	6,715,984	853
33	Hawaii	$45,649	$39,000	1,427,538	152
34	Montana	$46,956	$29,000	1,050,493	191
35	Maryland	$52,679	$34,000	6,052,177	886
36	Florida	$47,873	$32,000	20,984,400	2,379
37	Nevada	$49,269	$31,000	2,998,039	258
38	Kansas	$48,225	$31,000	2,913,123	373
39	Arkansas	$48,320	$31,000	3,004,279	300
40	Wisconsin	$47,405	$30,000	5,795,483	698
41	Missouri	$46,406	$30,000	6,113,532	825
42	New Mexico	$44,300	$29,000	2,088,070	293
43	Arizona	$43,563	$29,000	7,016,270	866
44	Georgia	$44,167	$29,000	10,429,379	1,386
45	Alabama	$44,184	$29,000	4,874,747	360
46	West Virginia	$41,977	$27,000	1,815,857	204
47	South Carolina	$44,035	$28,000	5,024,369	400
48	Kentucky	$42,170	$27,000	4,454,189	372
49	Louisiana	$42,843	$28,000	4,684,333	354
50	Oklahoma	$38,396	$25,000	3,930,864	375
51	Mississippi	$36,671	$24,000	2,984,100	204

Highest paying states for research specialists

Rank	State	Avg. Research Specialist Salary
1	Oregon	$68,064
2	Delaware	$74,145
3	Washington	$82,662
4	New Jersey	$65,133
5	Minnesota	$61,459
6	Massachusetts	$59,858
7	New York	$68,411
8	Colorado	$61,613
9	Maine	$63,598
10	Michigan	$58,748
11	District of Columbia	$62,549
12	Alaska	$69,301
13	Utah	$55,671
14	California	$59,139
15	Idaho	$58,984
16	Connecticut	$59,946
17	Ohio	$56,853
18	New Hampshire	$52,870
19	North Carolina	$52,379
20	Pennsylvania	$50,520
21	Texas	$54,473
22	Rhode Island	$50,167
23	South Dakota	$49,689
24	Iowa	$53,632
25	Nebraska	$50,811
26	Virginia	$53,927
27	Indiana	$52,807
28	Illinois	$52,281
29	North Dakota	$48,623
30	Vermont	$46,838
31	Wyoming	$46,391
32	Tennessee	$48,345
33	Hawaii	$45,649
34	Montana	$46,956
35	Maryland	$52,679
36	Florida	$47,873
37	Nevada	$49,269
38	Kansas	$48,225
39	Arkansas	$48,320
40	Wisconsin	$47,405
41	Missouri	$46,406
42	New Mexico	$44,300
43	Arizona	$43,563
44	Georgia	$44,167
45	Alabama	$44,184
46	West Virginia	$41,977
47	South Carolina	$44,035
48	Kentucky	$42,170
49	Louisiana	$42,843
50	Oklahoma	$38,396
51	Mississippi	$36,671

Expert opinions on the best states for research specialists

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research specialists 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 specialist best states FAQs

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Search for research specialist jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse business and financial jobs

Total research specialist jobs:	849
Average annual salary:	$68,064
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$43,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$107,000
Location Quotient:	1.32

Best states for a research specialist

10 best states for research specialists in 2026

1. Oregon

2. Delaware

3. Washington

4. New Jersey

5. Minnesota

6. Massachusetts

7. New York

8. Colorado

9. Maine

10. Michigan