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Best states for a research technician
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to research technician jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. We wanted to look at the best states for research technicians -- where there are plenty of research technician jobs to go around and research technicians get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
New Jersey is the best state for jobs for research technicians, and North Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in New Jersey is $56,670, while the median pay in North Dakota is $29,464.New Jersey is the best state, and New London is the city with the highest pay for research technicians.
10 best states for research technicians in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total research technician jobs: 1,092 Average annual salary: $56,670 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
2. Connecticut
Total research technician jobs: 417 Average annual salary: $63,554 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
3. New Hampshire
Total research technician jobs: 205 Average annual salary: $47,761 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
4. Massachusetts
Total research technician jobs: 2,385 Average annual salary: $44,969 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 2.31
5. California
Total research technician jobs: 2,941 Average annual salary: $55,365 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
6. Illinois
Total research technician jobs: 1,363 Average annual salary: $46,052 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
7. Oregon
Total research technician jobs: 643 Average annual salary: $43,677 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
8. New Mexico
Total research technician jobs: 217 Average annual salary: $46,032 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
9. New York
Total research technician jobs: 2,315 Average annual salary: $44,315 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.61
10. Washington
Total research technician jobs: 964 Average annual salary: $43,372 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
Research technician jobsNear Ashburn, VA
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research technician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research technician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,670 | $39,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,092 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $63,554 | $45,000 | 3,588,184 | 417 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $47,761 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 205 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $44,969 | $32,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,385 |
| 5 | California | $55,365 | $34,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,941 |
| 6 | Illinois | $46,052 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,363 |
| 7 | Oregon | $43,677 | $28,000 | 4,142,776 | 643 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $46,032 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 217 |
| 9 | New York | $44,315 | $31,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,315 |
| 10 | Washington | $43,372 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 964 |
| 11 | Vermont | $40,943 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 133 |
| 12 | Arizona | $42,446 | $26,000 | 7,016,270 | 657 |
| 13 | Virginia | $44,357 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,028 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $39,607 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,389 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $39,108 | $28,000 | 5,795,483 | 646 |
| 16 | Texas | $41,420 | $26,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,896 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $41,775 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 200 |
| 18 | Ohio | $39,883 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 959 |
| 19 | Florida | $41,553 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,537 |
| 20 | Colorado | $39,259 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 794 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $42,825 | $29,000 | 5,024,369 | 255 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $38,147 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 160 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $38,441 | $26,000 | 579,315 | 68 |
| 24 | Nevada | $43,073 | $26,000 | 2,998,039 | 131 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $38,498 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 799 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $41,388 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 165 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $36,928 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 609 |
| 28 | Maine | $35,542 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 168 |
| 29 | Michigan | $36,976 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 863 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $35,495 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 186 |
| 31 | Iowa | $37,699 | $26,000 | 3,145,711 | 345 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $38,128 | $25,000 | 2,984,100 | 155 |
| 33 | Maryland | $36,133 | $25,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,008 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $35,808 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 252 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $38,661 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 204 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $40,519 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 70 |
| 37 | Alaska | $34,716 | $25,000 | 739,795 | 98 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $36,958 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 264 |
| 39 | Missouri | $35,579 | $25,000 | 6,113,532 | 614 |
| 40 | Georgia | $36,090 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 796 |
| 41 | Idaho | $34,888 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 142 |
| 42 | Delaware | $31,506 | $22,000 | 961,939 | 159 |
| 43 | Indiana | $33,664 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 487 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $33,795 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 896 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $33,497 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 268 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,245 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 224 |
| 47 | Utah | $29,895 | $19,000 | 3,101,833 | 366 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $29,061 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 98 |
| 49 | Alabama | $31,226 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 302 |
| 50 | Montana | $28,732 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 94 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $29,464 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 64 |
Highest paying states for research technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Technician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,670 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $63,554 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $47,761 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $44,969 |
| 5 | California | $55,365 |
| 6 | Illinois | $46,052 |
| 7 | Oregon | $43,677 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $46,032 |
| 9 | New York | $44,315 |
| 10 | Washington | $43,372 |
| 11 | Vermont | $40,943 |
| 12 | Arizona | $42,446 |
| 13 | Virginia | $44,357 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $39,607 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $39,108 |
| 16 | Texas | $41,420 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $41,775 |
| 18 | Ohio | $39,883 |
| 19 | Florida | $41,553 |
| 20 | Colorado | $39,259 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $42,825 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $38,147 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $38,441 |
| 24 | Nevada | $43,073 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $38,498 |
| 26 | District of Columbia | $41,388 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $36,928 |
| 28 | Maine | $35,542 |
| 29 | Michigan | $36,976 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $35,495 |
| 31 | Iowa | $37,699 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $38,128 |
| 33 | Maryland | $36,133 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $35,808 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $38,661 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $40,519 |
| 37 | Alaska | $34,716 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $36,958 |
| 39 | Missouri | $35,579 |
| 40 | Georgia | $36,090 |
| 41 | Idaho | $34,888 |
| 42 | Delaware | $31,506 |
| 43 | Indiana | $33,664 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $33,795 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $33,497 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,245 |
| 47 | Utah | $29,895 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $29,061 |
| 49 | Alabama | $31,226 |
| 50 | Montana | $28,732 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $29,464 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research technicians
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research technicians 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