Best states for a river rafting guide

Q: What is the best state for river rafting guides?

The best state to be a river rafting guide is Alaska based on river rafting guide salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for river rafting guides?

The highest paying state for river rafting guides is Montana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for river rafting guides?

The worst state for river rafting guides is South Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for river rafting guides in the United States. River rafting guide positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for river rafting guides.Our research found that Alaska is the best state for river rafting guides, while Connecticut and Massachusetts are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Alaska has a median salary of $48,107 and Connecticut has the highest median salary among all 50 states for river rafting guides.

Alaska is the best state for jobs for river rafting guides, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Alaska is $48,107, while the median pay in South Dakota is $24,597.If you are currently seeking employment as a river rafting guide, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for river rafting guides in 2025

1. Alaska
Total river rafting guide jobs: 7
Average annual salary: $48,107
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000
Location Quotient:
6.45
River rafting guide jobs in Alaska
2. Connecticut
Total river rafting guide jobs: 5
Average annual salary: $51,558
Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000
Location Quotient:
1.16
River rafting guide jobs in Connecticut
3. Vermont
Total river rafting guide jobs: 2
Average annual salary: $45,425
Lowest 10 percent earn: $15,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
2.01
River rafting guide jobs in Vermont
4. Massachusetts
Total river rafting guide jobs: 10
Average annual salary: $50,703
Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
River rafting guide jobs in Massachusetts
5. California
Total river rafting guide jobs: 59
Average annual salary: $49,921
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000
Location Quotient:
1.55
River rafting guide jobs in California
6. Maine
Total river rafting guide jobs: 3
Average annual salary: $42,436
Lowest 10 percent earn: $14,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000
Location Quotient:
1.74
River rafting guide jobs in Maine
7. Virginia
Total river rafting guide jobs: 12
Average annual salary: $47,181
Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
River rafting guide jobs in Virginia
8. New Hampshire
Total river rafting guide jobs: 1
Average annual salary: $48,781
Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000
Location Quotient:
0.44
River rafting guide jobs in New Hampshire
9. New York
Total river rafting guide jobs: 15
Average annual salary: $45,655
Lowest 10 percent earn: $15,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
River rafting guide jobs in New York
10. Tennessee
Total river rafting guide jobs: 9
Average annual salary: $37,023
Lowest 10 percent earn: $15,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
River rafting guide jobs in Tennessee

River rafting guide jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a river rafting guide

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

Detailed list of the best states for a river rafting guide

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Alaska	$48,107	$19,000	739,795	7
2	Connecticut	$51,558	$18,000	3,588,184	5
3	Vermont	$45,425	$15,000	623,657	2
4	Massachusetts	$50,703	$18,000	6,859,819	10
5	California	$49,921	$22,000	39,536,653	59
6	Maine	$42,436	$14,000	1,335,907	3
7	Virginia	$47,181	$17,000	8,470,020	12
8	New Hampshire	$48,781	$17,000	1,342,795	1
9	New York	$45,655	$15,000	19,849,399	15
10	Tennessee	$37,023	$15,000	6,715,984	9
11	Delaware	$38,949	$13,000	961,939	5
12	Pennsylvania	$41,542	$14,000	12,805,537	8
13	Arkansas	$34,008	$14,000	3,004,279	5
14	Arizona	$35,605	$16,000	7,016,270	10
15	New Jersey	$43,416	$15,000	9,005,644	3
16	Texas	$37,763	$16,000	28,304,596	18
17	Indiana	$37,433	$14,000	6,666,818	5
18	West Virginia	$36,152	$12,000	1,815,857	2
19	District of Columbia	$39,766	$13,000	693,972	3
20	North Carolina	$37,079	$13,000	10,273,419	10
21	Rhode Island	$41,641	$13,000	1,059,639	0
22	Kansas	$34,345	$16,000	2,913,123	3
23	Maryland	$40,356	$14,000	6,052,177	4
24	Ohio	$33,458	$11,000	11,658,609	15
25	Oklahoma	$32,271	$14,000	3,930,864	4
26	Oregon	$31,018	$14,000	4,142,776	8
27	New Mexico	$35,688	$16,000	2,088,070	0
28	Mississippi	$35,106	$14,000	2,984,100	1
29	Alabama	$33,244	$13,000	4,874,747	5
30	Nevada	$32,666	$15,000	2,998,039	2
31	Louisiana	$35,179	$14,000	4,684,333	0
32	Florida	$32,769	$11,000	20,984,400	25
33	Georgia	$34,483	$13,000	10,429,379	9
34	Wyoming	$26,531	$13,000	579,315	4
35	Missouri	$29,986	$13,000	6,113,532	9
36	South Carolina	$33,730	$12,000	5,024,369	4
37	Kentucky	$33,399	$13,000	4,454,189	0
38	Michigan	$31,392	$10,000	9,962,311	10
39	Utah	$26,381	$13,000	3,101,833	7
40	Colorado	$26,793	$13,000	5,607,154	17
41	Nebraska	$26,572	$12,000	1,920,076	10
42	Idaho	$28,626	$14,000	1,716,943	0
43	Montana	$24,027	$11,000	1,050,493	11
44	Hawaii	$33,921	$27,000	1,427,538	0
45	Illinois	$28,205	$11,000	12,802,023	14
46	Washington	$29,857	$13,000	7,405,743	5
47	North Dakota	$26,714	$11,000	755,393	1
48	Minnesota	$28,071	$11,000	5,576,606	6
49	Wisconsin	$26,971	$10,000	5,795,483	3
50	Iowa	$26,287	$11,000	3,145,711	2
51	South Dakota	$24,597	$11,000	869,666	0

Highest paying states for river rafting guides

Rank	State	Avg. River Rafting Guide Salary
1	Alaska	$48,107
2	Connecticut	$51,558
3	Vermont	$45,425
4	Massachusetts	$50,703
5	California	$49,921
6	Maine	$42,436
7	Virginia	$47,181
8	New Hampshire	$48,781
9	New York	$45,655
10	Tennessee	$37,023
11	Delaware	$38,949
12	Pennsylvania	$41,542
13	Arkansas	$34,008
14	Arizona	$35,605
15	New Jersey	$43,416
16	Texas	$37,763
17	Indiana	$37,433
18	West Virginia	$36,152
19	District of Columbia	$39,766
20	North Carolina	$37,079
21	Rhode Island	$41,641
22	Kansas	$34,345
23	Maryland	$40,356
24	Ohio	$33,458
25	Oklahoma	$32,271
26	Oregon	$31,018
27	New Mexico	$35,688
28	Mississippi	$35,106
29	Alabama	$33,244
30	Nevada	$32,666
31	Louisiana	$35,179
32	Florida	$32,769
33	Georgia	$34,483
34	Wyoming	$26,531
35	Missouri	$29,986
36	South Carolina	$33,730
37	Kentucky	$33,399
38	Michigan	$31,392
39	Utah	$26,381
40	Colorado	$26,793
41	Nebraska	$26,572
42	Idaho	$28,626
43	Montana	$24,027
44	Hawaii	$33,921
45	Illinois	$28,205
46	Washington	$29,857
47	North Dakota	$26,714
48	Minnesota	$28,071
49	Wisconsin	$26,971
50	Iowa	$26,287
51	South Dakota	$24,597

River rafting guide best states FAQs

What is the best state for river rafting guides?

What is the highest paying state for river rafting guides?

What is the worst state for river rafting guides?

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Search for river rafting guide jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse personal care and attendants jobs

Total river rafting guide jobs:	7
Average annual salary:	$48,107
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$19,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$118,000
Location Quotient:	6.45

Best states for a river rafting guide

10 best states for river rafting guides in 2025

1. Alaska

2. Connecticut

3. Vermont

4. Massachusetts

5. California

6. Maine

7. Virginia

8. New Hampshire

9. New York

10. Tennessee