Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a research team member
Quoted expert
Stephen A. Matthews Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Research team member opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for research team members, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for research team members.Our research shows that Delaware is the best state in the country for research team members.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for research team members.Delaware is the best state, and Wilmington is the city with the highest pay for research team members.
10 best states for research team members in 2026
1. Delaware
Total research team member jobs: 392 Average annual salary: $39,380 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
2. Connecticut
Total research team member jobs: 1,011 Average annual salary: $34,234 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
3. New Jersey
Total research team member jobs: 1,968 Average annual salary: $35,758 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. California
Total research team member jobs: 8,993 Average annual salary: $34,155 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
5. Washington
Total research team member jobs: 1,671 Average annual salary: $35,832 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
6. Michigan
Total research team member jobs: 2,074 Average annual salary: $29,808 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
7. Pennsylvania
Total research team member jobs: 3,151 Average annual salary: $29,495 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
8. Maine
Total research team member jobs: 347 Average annual salary: $30,214 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
9. New Hampshire
Total research team member jobs: 434 Average annual salary: $30,680 Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
10. Minnesota
Total research team member jobs: 1,895 Average annual salary: $29,267 Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
Research team member jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research team member
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research team member
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $39,380 | $26,000 | 961,939 | 392 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $34,234 | $23,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,011 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $35,758 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,968 |
| 4 | California | $34,155 | $24,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,993 |
| 5 | Washington | $35,832 | $24,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,671 |
| 6 | Michigan | $29,808 | $20,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,074 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $29,495 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,151 |
| 8 | Maine | $30,214 | $21,000 | 1,335,907 | 347 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $30,680 | $21,000 | 1,342,795 | 434 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $29,267 | $20,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,895 |
| 11 | New York | $34,848 | $23,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,865 |
| 12 | Illinois | $28,991 | $20,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,462 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $34,701 | $24,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,829 |
| 14 | Colorado | $28,996 | $21,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,753 |
| 15 | Vermont | $28,453 | $20,000 | 623,657 | 224 |
| 16 | Oregon | $29,038 | $20,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,112 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $28,356 | $19,000 | 1,059,639 | 307 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $28,347 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,267 |
| 19 | Alaska | $31,878 | $21,000 | 739,795 | 140 |
| 20 | Indiana | $26,540 | $18,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,684 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $28,082 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,855 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $26,189 | $18,000 | 755,393 | 201 |
| 23 | Georgia | $26,012 | $19,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,404 |
| 24 | Montana | $26,192 | $18,000 | 1,050,493 | 261 |
| 25 | Iowa | $25,781 | $18,000 | 3,145,711 | 808 |
| 26 | Texas | $25,625 | $18,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,696 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $29,395 | $24,000 | 1,427,538 | 186 |
| 28 | Virginia | $27,871 | $19,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,011 |
| 29 | Utah | $25,200 | $18,000 | 3,101,833 | 716 |
| 30 | Maryland | $27,263 | $18,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,418 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $23,239 | $16,000 | 579,315 | 167 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $25,459 | $17,000 | 869,666 | 200 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $25,233 | $18,000 | 1,920,076 | 368 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $24,652 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 680 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $27,580 | $19,000 | 693,972 | 271 |
| 36 | Nevada | $25,048 | $18,000 | 2,998,039 | 314 |
| 37 | Kansas | $23,145 | $17,000 | 2,913,123 | 716 |
| 38 | Florida | $22,222 | $16,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,704 |
| 39 | Ohio | $22,237 | $15,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,666 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $24,889 | $18,000 | 2,088,070 | 340 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $23,975 | $16,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,185 |
| 42 | Idaho | $24,483 | $17,000 | 1,716,943 | 339 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $23,795 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 548 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $21,042 | $15,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,007 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $21,595 | $15,000 | 1,815,857 | 378 |
| 46 | Arizona | $23,913 | $17,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,238 |
| 47 | Alabama | $22,031 | $16,000 | 4,874,747 | 966 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $23,552 | $17,000 | 5,024,369 | 803 |
| 49 | Missouri | $21,102 | $15,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,342 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $20,460 | $15,000 | 3,930,864 | 608 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $19,148 | $14,000 | 2,984,100 | 445 |
Highest paying states for research team members
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Team Member Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $39,380 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $34,234 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $35,758 |
| 4 | California | $34,155 |
| 5 | Washington | $35,832 |
| 6 | Michigan | $29,808 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $29,495 |
| 8 | Maine | $30,214 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $30,680 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $29,267 |
| 11 | New York | $34,848 |
| 12 | Illinois | $28,991 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $34,701 |
| 14 | Colorado | $28,996 |
| 15 | Vermont | $28,453 |
| 16 | Oregon | $29,038 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $28,356 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $28,347 |
| 19 | Alaska | $31,878 |
| 20 | Indiana | $26,540 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $28,082 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $26,189 |
| 23 | Georgia | $26,012 |
| 24 | Montana | $26,192 |
| 25 | Iowa | $25,781 |
| 26 | Texas | $25,625 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $29,395 |
| 28 | Virginia | $27,871 |
| 29 | Utah | $25,200 |
| 30 | Maryland | $27,263 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $23,239 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $25,459 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $25,233 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $24,652 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $27,580 |
| 36 | Nevada | $25,048 |
| 37 | Kansas | $23,145 |
| 38 | Florida | $22,222 |
| 39 | Ohio | $22,237 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $24,889 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $23,975 |
| 42 | Idaho | $24,483 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $23,795 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $21,042 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $21,595 |
| 46 | Arizona | $23,913 |
| 47 | Alabama | $22,031 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $23,552 |
| 49 | Missouri | $21,102 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $20,460 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $19,148 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research team members
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research team members to find work opportunities?
Stephen A. Matthews Ph.D.
Liberal Arts Professor of Sociology, Anthropology, Demography and Geography Director, Graduate Program in Demography Faculty Director, Graduate Programs in Applied Demography Editor, Spatial Demography Associate Editor, Mathematical Population Studies, Pennsylvania State University
Anywhere and everywhere - academia, government (local to national), NGOs, INGOs, private sector, and applied research - in the US and overseas!
Research team member best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
Search for research team member jobs
Updated January 8, 2025