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Best states for a researcher
Quoted expert
David Woodward
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for researchers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for researcher jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Our research found that New Jersey is the best state for researchers, while Connecticut and New Jersey are ranked highest in terms of median salary. New Jersey has a median salary of $98,688 and Connecticut has the highest median salary among all 50 states for researchers.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for researchers. New Jersey is the best state for researchers, where the median salary is $98,688.We found that New Jersey is the best state for researcher jobs, whereas South Carolina is the worst.
10 best states for researchers in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total researcher jobs: 727 Average annual salary: $98,688 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location Quotient: 1.49
2. Massachusetts
Total researcher jobs: 2,052 Average annual salary: $84,820 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 3.62
3. Connecticut
Total researcher jobs: 168 Average annual salary: $101,894 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $183,000 Location Quotient: 0.82
4. Rhode Island
Total researcher jobs: 63 Average annual salary: $86,267 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location Quotient: 0.84
5. California
Total researcher jobs: 2,765 Average annual salary: $84,744 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
6. New York
Total researcher jobs: 1,615 Average annual salary: $76,045 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location Quotient: 2.04
7. Oregon
Total researcher jobs: 414 Average annual salary: $71,913 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.62
8. New Hampshire
Total researcher jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $93,502 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location Quotient: 0.49
9. Delaware
Total researcher jobs: 63 Average annual salary: $74,962 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
10. Maine
Total researcher jobs: 54 Average annual salary: $74,868 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
Researcher jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a researcher
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a researcher
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $98,688 | $54,000 | 9,005,644 | 727 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $84,820 | $45,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,052 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $101,894 | $56,000 | 3,588,184 | 168 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $86,267 | $46,000 | 1,059,639 | 63 |
| 5 | California | $84,744 | $46,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,765 |
| 6 | New York | $76,045 | $40,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,615 |
| 7 | Oregon | $71,913 | $39,000 | 4,142,776 | 414 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $93,502 | $50,000 | 1,342,795 | 53 |
| 9 | Delaware | $74,962 | $39,000 | 961,939 | 63 |
| 10 | Maine | $74,868 | $39,000 | 1,335,907 | 54 |
| 11 | Maryland | $71,886 | $38,000 | 6,052,177 | 574 |
| 12 | Vermont | $69,680 | $36,000 | 623,657 | 43 |
| 13 | Washington | $67,105 | $37,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,147 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $65,976 | $34,000 | 12,805,537 | 777 |
| 15 | Indiana | $82,021 | $46,000 | 6,666,818 | 146 |
| 16 | Michigan | $65,970 | $36,000 | 9,962,311 | 420 |
| 17 | Idaho | $69,784 | $39,000 | 1,716,943 | 64 |
| 18 | Arizona | $72,481 | $39,000 | 7,016,270 | 135 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $63,373 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 203 |
| 20 | Virginia | $58,920 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 516 |
| 21 | Nevada | $68,697 | $37,000 | 2,998,039 | 39 |
| 22 | Illinois | $60,055 | $34,000 | 12,802,023 | 487 |
| 23 | Ohio | $57,287 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 378 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $75,092 | $62,000 | 1,427,538 | 19 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $56,328 | $31,000 | 6,715,984 | 220 |
| 26 | Alaska | $51,746 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 43 |
| 27 | Montana | $49,577 | $30,000 | 1,050,493 | 60 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $57,518 | $32,000 | 3,004,279 | 50 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $49,537 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 88 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $48,939 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 436 |
| 31 | Colorado | $48,581 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 385 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $49,662 | $30,000 | 5,576,606 | 340 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $55,691 | $31,000 | 3,930,864 | 64 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $49,460 | $28,000 | 5,795,483 | 185 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $45,075 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 71 |
| 36 | Georgia | $48,643 | $27,000 | 10,429,379 | 361 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $45,681 | $27,000 | 579,315 | 21 |
| 38 | Texas | $45,518 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 732 |
| 39 | Missouri | $40,424 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 300 |
| 40 | Florida | $45,782 | $24,000 | 20,984,400 | 426 |
| 41 | Kansas | $44,113 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 85 |
| 42 | Utah | $37,744 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 134 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $35,913 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 111 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $42,091 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 75 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $37,933 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 117 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $38,981 | $23,000 | 869,666 | 28 |
| 47 | Iowa | $33,977 | $19,000 | 3,145,711 | 135 |
| 48 | Alabama | $38,724 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 67 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $33,004 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 23 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,166 | $19,000 | 2,984,100 | 53 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $36,723 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 75 |
Highest paying states for researchers
| Rank | State | Avg. Researcher Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $98,688 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $84,820 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $101,894 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $86,267 |
| 5 | California | $84,744 |
| 6 | New York | $76,045 |
| 7 | Oregon | $71,913 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $93,502 |
| 9 | Delaware | $74,962 |
| 10 | Maine | $74,868 |
| 11 | Maryland | $71,886 |
| 12 | Vermont | $69,680 |
| 13 | Washington | $67,105 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $65,976 |
| 15 | Indiana | $82,021 |
| 16 | Michigan | $65,970 |
| 17 | Idaho | $69,784 |
| 18 | Arizona | $72,481 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $63,373 |
| 20 | Virginia | $58,920 |
| 21 | Nevada | $68,697 |
| 22 | Illinois | $60,055 |
| 23 | Ohio | $57,287 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $75,092 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $56,328 |
| 26 | Alaska | $51,746 |
| 27 | Montana | $49,577 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $57,518 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $49,537 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $48,939 |
| 31 | Colorado | $48,581 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $49,662 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $55,691 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $49,460 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $45,075 |
| 36 | Georgia | $48,643 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $45,681 |
| 38 | Texas | $45,518 |
| 39 | Missouri | $40,424 |
| 40 | Florida | $45,782 |
| 41 | Kansas | $44,113 |
| 42 | Utah | $37,744 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $35,913 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $42,091 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $37,933 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $38,981 |
| 47 | Iowa | $33,977 |
| 48 | Alabama | $38,724 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $33,004 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $35,166 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $36,723 |
Expert opinions on the best states for researchers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for researchers to find work opportunities?
David Woodward
Director, Museum Studies Program, University of Minnesota Duluth
While the traditional path to employment in History has been through education licensure (secondary education) or through graduate degrees to become university faculty, most historians and heritage professionals are employed outside of academia. Prior to COVID 19, the field of public History was expanding. Public History covers museums, historic site management, historic preservation and compliance, and heritage interpretation. Many of our graduates over the past couple of years have found positions with local and regional museums and historical societies; others have found employment in historic preservation.
The preservation industry revolves around certain local, state, and federal laws that protect heritage and historic sites. The most comprehensive of these is the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. There are also state and local ordinances that also address historic preservation. Federal, state, and local governments, along with private developers, often enlist historians and public History professionals to help comply with these regulations. Most large infrastructure projects (roads, mines, pipelines, energy development) have a historic preservation component.
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Updated January 8, 2025