Best states for a senior executive

Q: What is the best state for senior executives?

The best state to be a senior executive is Connecticut based on senior executive salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for senior executives?

The highest paying state for senior executives is Alaska based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for senior executives?

The worst state for senior executives is Alaska, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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Senior executive opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for senior executives, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for senior executives.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for senior executive jobs.

The median salary for senior executives in Connecticut is $131,190. Compare that to the median salary in Alaska of $56,517, which ranked worst for senior executives, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for senior executives, and the Northeast is the worst. Hartford, CT is the best city in the country for senior executive jobs, where as Connecticut is the best state in the country.

10 best states for senior executives in 2025

1. Connecticut
Total senior executive jobs: 405
Average annual salary: $131,190
Lowest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $209,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Senior executive jobs in Connecticut
2. Washington
Total senior executive jobs: 903
Average annual salary: $112,170
Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000
Location Quotient:
1.37
Senior executive jobs in Washington
3. Georgia
Total senior executive jobs: 1,164
Average annual salary: $108,923
Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000
Location Quotient:
1.25
Senior executive jobs in Georgia
4. Delaware
Total senior executive jobs: 134
Average annual salary: $111,573
Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $185,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Senior executive jobs in Delaware
5. Nevada
Total senior executive jobs: 207
Average annual salary: $109,067
Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $184,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Senior executive jobs in Nevada
6. Massachusetts
Total senior executive jobs: 1,095
Average annual salary: $108,765
Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $179,000
Location Quotient:
1.32
Senior executive jobs in Massachusetts
7. District of Columbia
Total senior executive jobs: 211
Average annual salary: $113,628
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000
Location Quotient:
1.39
Senior executive jobs in District of Columbia
8. Rhode Island
Total senior executive jobs: 115
Average annual salary: $110,032
Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $180,000
Location Quotient:
1.05
Senior executive jobs in Rhode Island
9. North Carolina
Total senior executive jobs: 816
Average annual salary: $108,880
Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Senior executive jobs in North Carolina
10. Illinois
Total senior executive jobs: 1,636
Average annual salary: $101,456
Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000
Location Quotient:
1.52
Senior executive jobs in Illinois

Senior executive jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a senior executive

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

Detailed list of the best states for a senior executive

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Connecticut	$131,190	$82,000	3,588,184	405
2	Washington	$112,170	$66,000	7,405,743	903
3	Georgia	$108,923	$62,000	10,429,379	1,164
4	Delaware	$111,573	$67,000	961,939	134
5	Nevada	$109,067	$64,000	2,998,039	207
6	Massachusetts	$108,765	$66,000	6,859,819	1,095
7	District of Columbia	$113,628	$68,000	693,972	211
8	Rhode Island	$110,032	$67,000	1,059,639	115
9	North Carolina	$108,880	$63,000	10,273,419	816
10	Illinois	$101,456	$57,000	12,802,023	1,636
11	Texas	$100,289	$57,000	28,304,596	2,368
12	New York	$125,132	$77,000	19,849,399	570
13	Pennsylvania	$105,573	$62,000	12,805,537	1,004
14	Virginia	$102,499	$60,000	8,470,020	1,117
15	Florida	$97,928	$55,000	20,984,400	1,690
16	California	$117,917	$71,000	39,536,653	1,024
17	Maryland	$106,003	$62,000	6,052,177	552
18	New Hampshire	$102,628	$61,000	1,342,795	134
19	Ohio	$96,145	$54,000	11,658,609	827
20	Arizona	$92,185	$53,000	7,016,270	713
21	Minnesota	$96,582	$54,000	5,576,606	631
22	South Carolina	$98,505	$55,000	5,024,369	333
23	Wisconsin	$94,804	$53,000	5,795,483	476
24	Oregon	$104,264	$61,000	4,142,776	148
25	Michigan	$95,439	$54,000	9,962,311	565
26	Colorado	$88,243	$48,000	5,607,154	794
27	Indiana	$90,622	$50,000	6,666,818	597
28	Tennessee	$89,525	$49,000	6,715,984	501
29	West Virginia	$89,969	$51,000	1,815,857	115
30	New Jersey	$91,871	$54,000	9,005,644	830
31	Alabama	$90,261	$50,000	4,874,747	355
32	Missouri	$86,718	$47,000	6,113,532	572
33	Arkansas	$85,023	$46,000	3,004,279	252
34	Vermont	$84,501	$49,000	623,657	85
35	North Dakota	$83,450	$46,000	755,393	93
36	Utah	$82,351	$45,000	3,101,833	371
37	Hawaii	$90,636	$63,000	1,427,538	80
38	Kentucky	$86,744	$48,000	4,454,189	250
39	Montana	$75,366	$42,000	1,050,493	128
40	Iowa	$82,602	$45,000	3,145,711	284
41	Wyoming	$73,944	$40,000	579,315	57
42	New Mexico	$84,922	$48,000	2,088,070	120
43	Idaho	$70,693	$39,000	1,716,943	174
44	Kansas	$70,458	$37,000	2,913,123	275
45	Maine	$76,644	$45,000	1,335,907	99
46	South Dakota	$75,133	$41,000	869,666	67
47	Oklahoma	$71,677	$39,000	3,930,864	227
48	Louisiana	$71,092	$39,000	4,684,333	252
49	Nebraska	$69,427	$37,000	1,920,076	188
50	Mississippi	$71,360	$39,000	2,984,100	127
51	Alaska	$56,517	$37,000	739,795	59

Highest paying states for senior executives

Rank	State	Avg. Senior Executive Salary
1	Connecticut	$131,190
2	Washington	$112,170
3	Georgia	$108,923
4	Delaware	$111,573
5	Nevada	$109,067
6	Massachusetts	$108,765
7	District of Columbia	$113,628
8	Rhode Island	$110,032
9	North Carolina	$108,880
10	Illinois	$101,456
11	Texas	$100,289
12	New York	$125,132
13	Pennsylvania	$105,573
14	Virginia	$102,499
15	Florida	$97,928
16	California	$117,917
17	Maryland	$106,003
18	New Hampshire	$102,628
19	Ohio	$96,145
20	Arizona	$92,185
21	Minnesota	$96,582
22	South Carolina	$98,505
23	Wisconsin	$94,804
24	Oregon	$104,264
25	Michigan	$95,439
26	Colorado	$88,243
27	Indiana	$90,622
28	Tennessee	$89,525
29	West Virginia	$89,969
30	New Jersey	$91,871
31	Alabama	$90,261
32	Missouri	$86,718
33	Arkansas	$85,023
34	Vermont	$84,501
35	North Dakota	$83,450
36	Utah	$82,351
37	Hawaii	$90,636
38	Kentucky	$86,744
39	Montana	$75,366
40	Iowa	$82,602
41	Wyoming	$73,944
42	New Mexico	$84,922
43	Idaho	$70,693
44	Kansas	$70,458
45	Maine	$76,644
46	South Dakota	$75,133
47	Oklahoma	$71,677
48	Louisiana	$71,092
49	Nebraska	$69,427
50	Mississippi	$71,360
51	Alaska	$56,517

Senior executive best states FAQs

What is the best state for senior executives?

What is the highest paying state for senior executives?

What is the worst state for senior executives?

Have more questions? See all answers to common office and administrative questions.

Search for senior executive jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs

Total senior executive jobs:	405
Average annual salary:	$131,190
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$82,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$209,000
Location Quotient:	1.35

Best states for a senior executive

10 best states for senior executives in 2025

1. Connecticut

2. Washington

3. Georgia

4. Delaware

5. Nevada

6. Massachusetts

7. District of Columbia

8. Rhode Island

9. North Carolina

10. Illinois