Best states for a residential program director

Q: What is the best state for residential program directors?

The best state to be a residential program director is New York based on residential program director salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for residential program directors?

The highest paying state for residential program directors is Wisconsin based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for residential program directors?

The worst state for residential program directors is Wisconsin, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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It seems like residential program directors are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for residential program directors aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Our research shows that New York is the best state in the country for residential program directors.

In order to get you the best states for residential program directors, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.New York is the best state, and Southampton is the city with the highest pay for residential program directors.

10 best states for residential program directors in 2026

1. New York
Total residential program director jobs: 2,167
Average annual salary: $79,146
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Residential program director jobs in New York
2. District of Columbia
Total residential program director jobs: 246
Average annual salary: $70,427
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Residential program director jobs in District of Columbia
3. New Jersey
Total residential program director jobs: 1,092
Average annual salary: $58,974
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Residential program director jobs in New Jersey
4. Connecticut
Total residential program director jobs: 587
Average annual salary: $53,240
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
1.62
Residential program director jobs in Connecticut
5. Georgia
Total residential program director jobs: 1,082
Average annual salary: $59,301
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Residential program director jobs in Georgia
6. New Hampshire
Total residential program director jobs: 240
Average annual salary: $46,921
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Residential program director jobs in New Hampshire
7. Delaware
Total residential program director jobs: 171
Average annual salary: $48,516
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Residential program director jobs in Delaware
8. Colorado
Total residential program director jobs: 855
Average annual salary: $48,656
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Residential program director jobs in Colorado
9. California
Total residential program director jobs: 2,200
Average annual salary: $65,109
Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000
Location Quotient:
0.69
Residential program director jobs in California
10. Wyoming
Total residential program director jobs: 99
Average annual salary: $43,534
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
Residential program director jobs in Wyoming

Residential program director jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a residential program director

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

Detailed list of the best states for a residential program director

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$79,146	$54,000	19,849,399	2,167
2	District of Columbia	$70,427	$48,000	693,972	246
3	New Jersey	$58,974	$40,000	9,005,644	1,092
4	Connecticut	$53,240	$36,000	3,588,184	587
5	Georgia	$59,301	$43,000	10,429,379	1,082
6	New Hampshire	$46,921	$33,000	1,342,795	240
7	Delaware	$48,516	$33,000	961,939	171
8	Colorado	$48,656	$36,000	5,607,154	855
9	California	$65,109	$44,000	39,536,653	2,200
10	Wyoming	$43,534	$32,000	579,315	99
11	Washington	$54,812	$39,000	7,405,743	621
12	Massachusetts	$51,866	$36,000	6,859,819	817
13	Nevada	$48,825	$33,000	2,998,039	196
14	Texas	$45,728	$33,000	28,304,596	2,069
15	Pennsylvania	$45,763	$31,000	12,805,537	1,168
16	Michigan	$44,319	$31,000	9,962,311	791
17	Alabama	$41,646	$30,000	4,874,747	943
18	North Carolina	$44,390	$31,000	10,273,419	975
19	New Mexico	$42,610	$31,000	2,088,070	230
20	Oklahoma	$40,699	$30,000	3,930,864	634
21	Montana	$41,840	$31,000	1,050,493	172
22	Illinois	$44,474	$32,000	12,802,023	1,362
23	South Dakota	$42,222	$31,000	869,666	110
24	Maryland	$50,329	$34,000	6,052,177	538
25	Idaho	$42,539	$30,000	1,716,943	195
26	Rhode Island	$44,768	$31,000	1,059,639	72
27	Alaska	$48,057	$40,000	739,795	37
28	West Virginia	$40,121	$28,000	1,815,857	176
29	Florida	$42,045	$30,000	20,984,400	1,659
30	Ohio	$41,829	$29,000	11,658,609	872
31	Vermont	$44,559	$31,000	623,657	36
32	Arizona	$39,577	$28,000	7,016,270	755
33	Mississippi	$37,089	$27,000	2,984,100	500
34	Minnesota	$39,705	$29,000	5,576,606	799
35	Maine	$38,889	$27,000	1,335,907	173
36	Indiana	$40,252	$28,000	6,666,818	559
37	Kansas	$39,277	$28,000	2,913,123	260
38	Hawaii	$35,106	$23,000	1,427,538	135
39	Missouri	$40,345	$29,000	6,113,532	467
40	Tennessee	$38,509	$28,000	6,715,984	487
41	Kentucky	$37,697	$27,000	4,454,189	347
42	Louisiana	$32,248	$23,000	4,684,333	762
43	Virginia	$40,365	$27,000	8,470,020	781
44	Oregon	$36,520	$25,000	4,142,776	552
45	North Dakota	$39,051	$29,000	755,393	42
46	Nebraska	$35,385	$26,000	1,920,076	249
47	Utah	$33,572	$24,000	3,101,833	402
48	Arkansas	$32,962	$24,000	3,004,279	308
49	Iowa	$36,048	$26,000	3,145,711	320
50	South Carolina	$33,714	$24,000	5,024,369	388
51	Wisconsin	$31,851	$22,000	5,795,483	577

Highest paying states for residential program directors

Rank	State	Avg. Residential Program Director Salary
1	New York	$79,146
2	District of Columbia	$70,427
3	New Jersey	$58,974
4	Connecticut	$53,240
5	Georgia	$59,301
6	New Hampshire	$46,921
7	Delaware	$48,516
8	Colorado	$48,656
9	California	$65,109
10	Wyoming	$43,534
11	Washington	$54,812
12	Massachusetts	$51,866
13	Nevada	$48,825
14	Texas	$45,728
15	Pennsylvania	$45,763
16	Michigan	$44,319
17	Alabama	$41,646
18	North Carolina	$44,390
19	New Mexico	$42,610
20	Oklahoma	$40,699
21	Montana	$41,840
22	Illinois	$44,474
23	South Dakota	$42,222
24	Maryland	$50,329
25	Idaho	$42,539
26	Rhode Island	$44,768
27	Alaska	$48,057
28	West Virginia	$40,121
29	Florida	$42,045
30	Ohio	$41,829
31	Vermont	$44,559
32	Arizona	$39,577
33	Mississippi	$37,089
34	Minnesota	$39,705
35	Maine	$38,889
36	Indiana	$40,252
37	Kansas	$39,277
38	Hawaii	$35,106
39	Missouri	$40,345
40	Tennessee	$38,509
41	Kentucky	$37,697
42	Louisiana	$32,248
43	Virginia	$40,365
44	Oregon	$36,520
45	North Dakota	$39,051
46	Nebraska	$35,385
47	Utah	$33,572
48	Arkansas	$32,962
49	Iowa	$36,048
50	South Carolina	$33,714
51	Wisconsin	$31,851

Residential program director best states FAQs

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What is the worst state for residential program directors?

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Best states for Residential Program Directors

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total residential program director jobs:	2,167
Average annual salary:	$79,146
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$54,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$115,000
Location Quotient:	1.54

Best states for a residential program director

10 best states for residential program directors in 2026

1. New York

2. District of Columbia

3. New Jersey

4. Connecticut

5. Georgia

6. New Hampshire

7. Delaware

8. Colorado

9. California

10. Wyoming