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Best states for a senior leader
Quoted expert
Nancy McHugh Ph.D.
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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and computer and mathematical careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to senior leader jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for senior leaders.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for senior leaders. We found that Washington is the best state in the nation for senior leaders, and people in Pacifica earn the most in the field.
We figured that the best places for senior leader 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 senior leader, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for senior leaders in 2025
1. Washington
Total senior leader jobs: 2,625 Average annual salary: $124,375 Lowest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location Quotient: 1.55
2. Alaska
Total senior leader jobs: 241 Average annual salary: $118,943 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $176,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
3. California
Total senior leader jobs: 7,749 Average annual salary: $126,406 Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
4. Massachusetts
Total senior leader jobs: 3,374 Average annual salary: $113,188 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
5. Rhode Island
Total senior leader jobs: 460 Average annual salary: $106,329 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000 Location Quotient: 1.63
6. New York
Total senior leader jobs: 3,231 Average annual salary: $117,589 Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
7. Idaho
Total senior leader jobs: 278 Average annual salary: $114,161 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
8. District of Columbia
Total senior leader jobs: 869 Average annual salary: $115,306 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location Quotient: 2.23
9. Nevada
Total senior leader jobs: 454 Average annual salary: $110,215 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $169,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
10. Arizona
Total senior leader jobs: 1,312 Average annual salary: $110,000 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
Senior leader jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a senior leader
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a senior leader
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $124,375 | $82,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,625 |
| 2 | Alaska | $118,943 | $80,000 | 739,795 | 241 |
| 3 | California | $126,406 | $83,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,749 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $113,188 | $80,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,374 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $106,329 | $75,000 | 1,059,639 | 460 |
| 6 | New York | $117,589 | $83,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,231 |
| 7 | Idaho | $114,161 | $74,000 | 1,716,943 | 278 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $115,306 | $80,000 | 693,972 | 869 |
| 9 | Nevada | $110,215 | $71,000 | 2,998,039 | 454 |
| 10 | Arizona | $110,000 | $70,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,312 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $101,550 | $67,000 | 869,666 | 262 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $101,771 | $63,000 | 2,088,070 | 533 |
| 13 | Virginia | $104,783 | $73,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,816 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $108,531 | $76,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,970 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $98,098 | $67,000 | 755,393 | 270 |
| 16 | Oregon | $103,226 | $67,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,244 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $102,912 | $72,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,527 |
| 18 | Maryland | $105,067 | $73,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,642 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $102,730 | $70,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,457 |
| 20 | Montana | $96,839 | $64,000 | 1,050,493 | 346 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $102,984 | $73,000 | 1,342,795 | 371 |
| 22 | Delaware | $102,165 | $71,000 | 961,939 | 311 |
| 23 | Texas | $98,255 | $60,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,793 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $95,256 | $62,000 | 1,920,076 | 570 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $98,425 | $67,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,315 |
| 26 | Ohio | $99,210 | $68,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,998 |
| 27 | Illinois | $100,395 | $68,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,910 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $103,142 | $73,000 | 3,588,184 | 780 |
| 29 | Vermont | $100,427 | $71,000 | 623,657 | 184 |
| 30 | Utah | $95,222 | $61,000 | 3,101,833 | 776 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $98,907 | $68,000 | 1,815,857 | 195 |
| 32 | Maine | $100,315 | $72,000 | 1,335,907 | 220 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $97,974 | $60,000 | 4,684,333 | 486 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $98,346 | $74,000 | 1,427,538 | 212 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $95,611 | $64,000 | 4,454,189 | 566 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $95,012 | $65,000 | 5,795,483 | 892 |
| 37 | Georgia | $92,220 | $59,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,359 |
| 38 | Colorado | $93,079 | $59,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,321 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $90,955 | $58,000 | 579,315 | 132 |
| 40 | Michigan | $91,441 | $63,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,395 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $90,223 | $58,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,000 |
| 42 | Missouri | $90,530 | $58,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,165 |
| 43 | Iowa | $88,532 | $59,000 | 3,145,711 | 602 |
| 44 | Indiana | $87,504 | $59,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,138 |
| 45 | Alabama | $86,866 | $55,000 | 4,874,747 | 684 |
| 46 | Florida | $85,164 | $53,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,031 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $87,546 | $58,000 | 5,024,369 | 600 |
| 48 | Kansas | $82,317 | $52,000 | 2,913,123 | 539 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $80,731 | $50,000 | 3,004,279 | 450 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $80,934 | $50,000 | 2,984,100 | 253 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $79,491 | $49,000 | 3,930,864 | 405 |
Highest paying states for senior leaders
| Rank | State | Avg. Senior Leader Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $124,375 |
| 2 | Alaska | $118,943 |
| 3 | California | $126,406 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $113,188 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $106,329 |
| 6 | New York | $117,589 |
| 7 | Idaho | $114,161 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $115,306 |
| 9 | Nevada | $110,215 |
| 10 | Arizona | $110,000 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $101,550 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $101,771 |
| 13 | Virginia | $104,783 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $108,531 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $98,098 |
| 16 | Oregon | $103,226 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $102,912 |
| 18 | Maryland | $105,067 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $102,730 |
| 20 | Montana | $96,839 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $102,984 |
| 22 | Delaware | $102,165 |
| 23 | Texas | $98,255 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $95,256 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $98,425 |
| 26 | Ohio | $99,210 |
| 27 | Illinois | $100,395 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $103,142 |
| 29 | Vermont | $100,427 |
| 30 | Utah | $95,222 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $98,907 |
| 32 | Maine | $100,315 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $97,974 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $98,346 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $95,611 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $95,012 |
| 37 | Georgia | $92,220 |
| 38 | Colorado | $93,079 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $90,955 |
| 40 | Michigan | $91,441 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $90,223 |
| 42 | Missouri | $90,530 |
| 43 | Iowa | $88,532 |
| 44 | Indiana | $87,504 |
| 45 | Alabama | $86,866 |
| 46 | Florida | $85,164 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $87,546 |
| 48 | Kansas | $82,317 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $80,731 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $80,934 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $79,491 |
Expert opinions on the best states for senior leaders
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for senior leaders to find work opportunities?
Nancy McHugh Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Wittenberg University
I think that there are opportunities in most parts of the country. It is more about what sort of work students are looking for. A lot of philosophy majors go to law school or into non-profit work. There are opportunities for that everywhere. We've had several students go into public health graduate programs, which also has lots of geographic options. That so many of us are learning to work well-remotely is opening up a lot of options for where people live that are not as tied to the location of one's employment. Thus, I'd say most locations can be ideal locations. It is a matter of what individuals are looking for.
Senior leader best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025