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Best states for a Restaurant General Manager
Quoted Expert
Michelle Robinson
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It seems like restaurant general managers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for restaurant general managers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of restaurant general managers in America is $79,000.
We figured that the best places for restaurant general manager jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as a restaurant general manager, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for restaurant general managers in 2025
1. New York
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 6,506 Average Annual Salary: $78,166 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $53,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 0.992. New Jersey
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 3,825 Average Annual Salary: $77,084 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $52,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 0.943. Delaware
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 643 Average Annual Salary: $68,624 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $47,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 14. Connecticut
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 1,514 Average Annual Salary: $73,991 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $50,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 0.895. North Carolina
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 5,063 Average Annual Salary: $59,859 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $41,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.036. Pennsylvania
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 6,293 Average Annual Salary: $57,669 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $39,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.057. Illinois
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 6,780 Average Annual Salary: $57,350 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $40,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.118. District of Columbia
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 571 Average Annual Salary: $80,257 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $55,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 0.669. Virginia
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 4,859 Average Annual Salary: $61,275 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $42,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 110. Rhode Island
Total Restaurant General Manager Jobs: 508 Average Annual Salary: $63,866 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $43,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
Restaurant General Manager JobsNear Ashburn, VA
How Zippia determines the best states to be a restaurant general manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a restaurant general manager
| Rank | State | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $78,166 | $53,000 | 19,849,399 | 6,506 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $77,084 | $52,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,825 |
| 3 | Delaware | $68,624 | $47,000 | 961,939 | 643 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $73,991 | $50,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,514 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $59,859 | $41,000 | 10,273,419 | 5,063 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $57,669 | $39,000 | 12,805,537 | 6,293 |
| 7 | Illinois | $57,350 | $40,000 | 12,802,023 | 6,780 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $80,257 | $55,000 | 693,972 | 571 |
| 9 | Virginia | $61,275 | $42,000 | 8,470,020 | 4,859 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $63,866 | $43,000 | 1,059,639 | 508 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $63,883 | $43,000 | 1,342,795 | 741 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $66,704 | $45,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,828 |
| 13 | Washington | $62,652 | $46,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,264 |
| 14 | Michigan | $55,362 | $38,000 | 9,962,311 | 4,033 |
| 15 | Maryland | $61,849 | $42,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,264 |
| 16 | Colorado | $60,712 | $45,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,957 |
| 17 | Indiana | $53,198 | $37,000 | 6,666,818 | 3,583 |
| 18 | Ohio | $52,528 | $36,000 | 11,658,609 | 5,660 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $53,431 | $39,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,739 |
| 20 | Texas | $52,094 | $38,000 | 28,304,596 | 12,602 |
| 21 | California | $61,521 | $45,000 | 39,536,653 | 14,765 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $57,694 | $40,000 | 5,795,483 | 2,508 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $57,974 | $42,000 | 869,666 | 368 |
| 24 | Alaska | $59,161 | $49,000 | 739,795 | 288 |
| 25 | Alabama | $49,570 | $36,000 | 4,874,747 | 2,331 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $61,300 | $50,000 | 1,427,538 | 380 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $48,608 | $35,000 | 6,715,984 | 3,182 |
| 28 | Arizona | $51,290 | $38,000 | 7,016,270 | 3,008 |
| 29 | Nevada | $52,563 | $38,000 | 2,998,039 | 978 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $53,310 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 3,303 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $48,295 | $34,000 | 5,024,369 | 2,706 |
| 32 | Maine | $53,992 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 499 |
| 33 | Oregon | $54,133 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,763 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $45,573 | $32,000 | 4,454,189 | 2,234 |
| 35 | Montana | $48,472 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 612 |
| 36 | Georgia | $50,158 | $36,000 | 10,429,379 | 4,923 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $45,770 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 815 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $50,017 | $36,000 | 755,393 | 348 |
| 39 | Florida | $46,831 | $33,000 | 20,984,400 | 8,389 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $49,725 | $36,000 | 2,088,070 | 808 |
| 41 | Utah | $44,162 | $32,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,799 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $45,600 | $33,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,587 |
| 43 | Missouri | $43,597 | $31,000 | 6,113,532 | 3,400 |
| 44 | Kansas | $45,089 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,486 |
| 45 | Iowa | $45,621 | $32,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,664 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $41,834 | $30,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,366 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $47,070 | $34,000 | 1,920,076 | 830 |
| 48 | Idaho | $45,151 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 723 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $40,328 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 1,085 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $40,388 | $30,000 | 579,315 | 286 |
| 51 | Vermont | $45,048 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 229 |
Highest paying states for restaurant general managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Restaurant General Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $78,166 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $77,084 |
| 3 | Delaware | $68,624 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $73,991 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $59,859 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $57,669 |
| 7 | Illinois | $57,350 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $80,257 |
| 9 | Virginia | $61,275 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $63,866 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $63,883 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $66,704 |
| 13 | Washington | $62,652 |
| 14 | Michigan | $55,362 |
| 15 | Maryland | $61,849 |
| 16 | Colorado | $60,712 |
| 17 | Indiana | $53,198 |
| 18 | Ohio | $52,528 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $53,431 |
| 20 | Texas | $52,094 |
| 21 | California | $61,521 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $57,694 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $57,974 |
| 24 | Alaska | $59,161 |
| 25 | Alabama | $49,570 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $61,300 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $48,608 |
| 28 | Arizona | $51,290 |
| 29 | Nevada | $52,563 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $53,310 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $48,295 |
| 32 | Maine | $53,992 |
| 33 | Oregon | $54,133 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $45,573 |
| 35 | Montana | $48,472 |
| 36 | Georgia | $50,158 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $45,770 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $50,017 |
| 39 | Florida | $46,831 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $49,725 |
| 41 | Utah | $44,162 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $45,600 |
| 43 | Missouri | $43,597 |
| 44 | Kansas | $45,089 |
| 45 | Iowa | $45,621 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $41,834 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $47,070 |
| 48 | Idaho | $45,151 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $40,328 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $40,388 |
| 51 | Vermont | $45,048 |
Expert opinions on the best states for restaurant general managers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Restaurants General Manager to find work opportunities?
Michelle Robinson
Director of Early Talent & Frontline, Sodexo North America
Graduates should consider looking at nontraditional roles outside of just restaurants and hotels. For example, Sodexo's Senior Living segment manages very upscale retirement communities that rival many five star resorts with their dining selections and amenities.
Restaurant General Manager best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025