Best states for a resident assistant

Q: What is the best state for resident assistants?

The best state to be a resident assistant is North Dakota based on resident assistant salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for resident assistants?

The highest paying state for resident assistants is Louisiana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for resident assistants?

The worst state for resident assistants is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Resident assistant opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for resident assistants, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for resident assistants.In order to help you decide which state is the best for resident assistants, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for resident assistant jobs.

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 resident assistants.If you are currently seeking employment as a resident assistant, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for resident assistants in 2025

1. North Dakota
Total resident assistant jobs: 59
Average annual salary: $33,888
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.36
Resident assistant jobs in North Dakota
2. Alaska
Total resident assistant jobs: 68
Average annual salary: $32,819
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.75
Resident assistant jobs in Alaska
3. Minnesota
Total resident assistant jobs: 938
Average annual salary: $30,830
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
3.03
Resident assistant jobs in Minnesota
4. Wyoming
Total resident assistant jobs: 33
Average annual salary: $30,410
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Resident assistant jobs in Wyoming
5. Connecticut
Total resident assistant jobs: 125
Average annual salary: $33,924
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Resident assistant jobs in Connecticut
6. Massachusetts
Total resident assistant jobs: 508
Average annual salary: $31,355
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Resident assistant jobs in Massachusetts
7. New Jersey
Total resident assistant jobs: 390
Average annual salary: $32,474
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Resident assistant jobs in New Jersey
8. Wisconsin
Total resident assistant jobs: 294
Average annual salary: $29,501
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Resident assistant jobs in Wisconsin
9. Pennsylvania
Total resident assistant jobs: 578
Average annual salary: $29,148
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Resident assistant jobs in Pennsylvania
10. California
Total resident assistant jobs: 1,161
Average annual salary: $34,915
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Resident assistant jobs in California

Resident assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a resident assistant

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

Detailed list of the best states for a resident assistant

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	North Dakota	$33,888	$26,000	755,393	59
2	Alaska	$32,819	$27,000	739,795	68
3	Minnesota	$30,830	$23,000	5,576,606	938
4	Wyoming	$30,410	$23,000	579,315	33
5	Connecticut	$33,924	$25,000	3,588,184	125
6	Massachusetts	$31,355	$24,000	6,859,819	508
7	New Jersey	$32,474	$24,000	9,005,644	390
8	Wisconsin	$29,501	$22,000	5,795,483	294
9	Pennsylvania	$29,148	$21,000	12,805,537	578
10	California	$34,915	$26,000	39,536,653	1,161
11	Oregon	$32,643	$25,000	4,142,776	139
12	District of Columbia	$33,248	$24,000	693,972	82
13	New Hampshire	$28,945	$23,000	1,342,795	87
14	West Virginia	$26,791	$19,000	1,815,857	115
15	Maine	$29,815	$24,000	1,335,907	49
16	New York	$29,300	$22,000	19,849,399	871
17	Delaware	$30,016	$22,000	961,939	49
18	Nevada	$28,429	$21,000	2,998,039	91
19	New Mexico	$28,395	$21,000	2,088,070	84
20	Colorado	$29,045	$22,000	5,607,154	274
21	Idaho	$29,815	$22,000	1,716,943	47
22	Iowa	$27,751	$21,000	3,145,711	145
23	Washington	$30,485	$23,000	7,405,743	251
24	Indiana	$26,928	$20,000	6,666,818	360
25	Illinois	$28,753	$21,000	12,802,023	560
26	Michigan	$26,379	$20,000	9,962,311	555
27	Arizona	$28,813	$21,000	7,016,270	225
28	Maryland	$28,483	$20,000	6,052,177	362
29	Kansas	$27,776	$21,000	2,913,123	94
30	Ohio	$26,567	$19,000	11,658,609	410
31	Kentucky	$25,482	$19,000	4,454,189	186
32	Hawaii	$26,752	$23,000	1,427,538	51
33	Rhode Island	$28,257	$21,000	1,059,639	35
34	Vermont	$27,860	$22,000	623,657	24
35	Mississippi	$26,041	$19,000	2,984,100	71
36	Arkansas	$24,410	$18,000	3,004,279	118
37	South Dakota	$24,573	$18,000	869,666	49
38	Missouri	$26,141	$19,000	6,113,532	206
39	Florida	$24,434	$17,000	20,984,400	755
40	Nebraska	$25,237	$19,000	1,920,076	78
41	Utah	$24,870	$18,000	3,101,833	134
42	North Carolina	$25,465	$18,000	10,273,419	308
43	Texas	$25,533	$18,000	28,304,596	703
44	Virginia	$25,625	$18,000	8,470,020	351
45	Tennessee	$23,267	$17,000	6,715,984	245
46	Montana	$25,125	$19,000	1,050,493	25
47	Oklahoma	$24,800	$18,000	3,930,864	79
48	Georgia	$21,689	$16,000	10,429,379	439
49	Alabama	$22,702	$16,000	4,874,747	165
50	Louisiana	$21,559	$15,000	4,684,333	138
51	South Carolina	$22,835	$16,000	5,024,369	158

Highest paying states for resident assistants

Rank	State	Avg. Resident Assistant Salary
1	North Dakota	$33,888
2	Alaska	$32,819
3	Minnesota	$30,830
4	Wyoming	$30,410
5	Connecticut	$33,924
6	Massachusetts	$31,355
7	New Jersey	$32,474
8	Wisconsin	$29,501
9	Pennsylvania	$29,148
10	California	$34,915
11	Oregon	$32,643
12	District of Columbia	$33,248
13	New Hampshire	$28,945
14	West Virginia	$26,791
15	Maine	$29,815
16	New York	$29,300
17	Delaware	$30,016
18	Nevada	$28,429
19	New Mexico	$28,395
20	Colorado	$29,045
21	Idaho	$29,815
22	Iowa	$27,751
23	Washington	$30,485
24	Indiana	$26,928
25	Illinois	$28,753
26	Michigan	$26,379
27	Arizona	$28,813
28	Maryland	$28,483
29	Kansas	$27,776
30	Ohio	$26,567
31	Kentucky	$25,482
32	Hawaii	$26,752
33	Rhode Island	$28,257
34	Vermont	$27,860
35	Mississippi	$26,041
36	Arkansas	$24,410
37	South Dakota	$24,573
38	Missouri	$26,141
39	Florida	$24,434
40	Nebraska	$25,237
41	Utah	$24,870
42	North Carolina	$25,465
43	Texas	$25,533
44	Virginia	$25,625
45	Tennessee	$23,267
46	Montana	$25,125
47	Oklahoma	$24,800
48	Georgia	$21,689
49	Alabama	$22,702
50	Louisiana	$21,559
51	South Carolina	$22,835

Resident assistant best states FAQs

What is the best state for resident assistants?

What is the highest paying state for resident assistants?

What is the worst state for resident assistants?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

Search for resident assistant jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

Total resident assistant jobs:	59
Average annual salary:	$33,888
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$26,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$42,000
Location Quotient:	1.36

Best states for a resident assistant

10 best states for resident assistants in 2025

1. North Dakota

2. Alaska

3. Minnesota

4. Wyoming

5. Connecticut

6. Massachusetts

7. New Jersey

8. Wisconsin

9. Pennsylvania

10. California