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Best states for a senior project scientist
Quoted expert
Sami Mejri Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to senior project scientist jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of senior project scientists in America is $146,000.
In order to get you the best states for senior project scientists, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a senior project scientist, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for senior project scientists in 2026
1. Minnesota
Total senior project scientist jobs: 1,260 Average annual salary: $111,269 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
2. Nevada
Total senior project scientist jobs: 317 Average annual salary: $117,965 Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
3. Maine
Total senior project scientist jobs: 234 Average annual salary: $105,595 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
4. Indiana
Total senior project scientist jobs: 967 Average annual salary: $107,495 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
5. Pennsylvania
Total senior project scientist jobs: 2,224 Average annual salary: $97,050 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
6. California
Total senior project scientist jobs: 2,439 Average annual salary: $137,432 Lowest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $201,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
7. Tennessee
Total senior project scientist jobs: 873 Average annual salary: $103,600 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
8. New Jersey
Total senior project scientist jobs: 762 Average annual salary: $116,270 Lowest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
9. Rhode Island
Total senior project scientist jobs: 72 Average annual salary: $118,325 Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $165,000 Location Quotient: 0.51
10. Ohio
Total senior project scientist jobs: 1,557 Average annual salary: $94,830 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
Senior project scientist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a senior project scientist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a senior project scientist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $111,269 | $76,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,260 |
| 2 | Nevada | $117,965 | $78,000 | 2,998,039 | 317 |
| 3 | Maine | $105,595 | $76,000 | 1,335,907 | 234 |
| 4 | Indiana | $107,495 | $73,000 | 6,666,818 | 967 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $97,050 | $68,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,224 |
| 6 | California | $137,432 | $93,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,439 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $103,600 | $68,000 | 6,715,984 | 873 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $116,270 | $82,000 | 9,005,644 | 762 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $118,325 | $84,000 | 1,059,639 | 72 |
| 10 | Ohio | $94,830 | $65,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,557 |
| 11 | Montana | $109,675 | $72,000 | 1,050,493 | 76 |
| 12 | Delaware | $102,446 | $71,000 | 961,939 | 129 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $104,185 | $74,000 | 3,588,184 | 265 |
| 14 | Vermont | $88,752 | $64,000 | 623,657 | 163 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $94,682 | $67,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,400 |
| 16 | Arizona | $101,421 | $67,000 | 7,016,270 | 248 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $88,720 | $58,000 | 3,004,279 | 335 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $85,234 | $58,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,050 |
| 19 | Idaho | $86,287 | $56,000 | 1,716,943 | 310 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $90,142 | $62,000 | 1,815,857 | 178 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $89,855 | $58,000 | 3,930,864 | 298 |
| 22 | Alaska | $97,485 | $70,000 | 739,795 | 56 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $85,358 | $56,000 | 2,088,070 | 364 |
| 24 | Michigan | $84,787 | $58,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,272 |
| 25 | Maryland | $94,377 | $65,000 | 6,052,177 | 861 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $85,130 | $61,000 | 1,342,795 | 313 |
| 27 | Oregon | $96,056 | $63,000 | 4,142,776 | 231 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $89,138 | $60,000 | 10,273,419 | 730 |
| 29 | New York | $94,072 | $66,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,109 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $87,840 | $57,000 | 579,315 | 44 |
| 31 | Texas | $81,280 | $53,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,723 |
| 32 | Colorado | $92,594 | $60,000 | 5,607,154 | 334 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $96,311 | $73,000 | 1,427,538 | 67 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $82,399 | $55,000 | 4,454,189 | 458 |
| 35 | Illinois | $88,759 | $60,000 | 12,802,023 | 811 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $76,985 | $51,000 | 869,666 | 180 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $73,616 | $50,000 | 755,393 | 183 |
| 38 | Kansas | $77,119 | $50,000 | 2,913,123 | 507 |
| 39 | Alabama | $78,042 | $51,000 | 4,874,747 | 517 |
| 40 | Florida | $86,041 | $54,000 | 20,984,400 | 639 |
| 41 | Washington | $81,501 | $54,000 | 7,405,743 | 670 |
| 42 | Missouri | $74,227 | $49,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,024 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $75,310 | $50,000 | 1,920,076 | 332 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $78,480 | $51,000 | 2,984,100 | 183 |
| 45 | Iowa | $74,678 | $50,000 | 3,145,711 | 507 |
| 46 | Virginia | $79,210 | $54,000 | 8,470,020 | 960 |
| 47 | District of Columbia | $84,772 | $59,000 | 693,972 | 100 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $72,077 | $48,000 | 5,024,369 | 600 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $68,716 | $44,000 | 4,684,333 | 370 |
| 50 | Georgia | $67,794 | $45,000 | 10,429,379 | 398 |
| 51 | Utah | $64,220 | $41,000 | 3,101,833 | 179 |
Highest paying states for senior project scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. Senior Project Scientist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $111,269 |
| 2 | Nevada | $117,965 |
| 3 | Maine | $105,595 |
| 4 | Indiana | $107,495 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $97,050 |
| 6 | California | $137,432 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $103,600 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $116,270 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $118,325 |
| 10 | Ohio | $94,830 |
| 11 | Montana | $109,675 |
| 12 | Delaware | $102,446 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $104,185 |
| 14 | Vermont | $88,752 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $94,682 |
| 16 | Arizona | $101,421 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $88,720 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $85,234 |
| 19 | Idaho | $86,287 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $90,142 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $89,855 |
| 22 | Alaska | $97,485 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $85,358 |
| 24 | Michigan | $84,787 |
| 25 | Maryland | $94,377 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $85,130 |
| 27 | Oregon | $96,056 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $89,138 |
| 29 | New York | $94,072 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $87,840 |
| 31 | Texas | $81,280 |
| 32 | Colorado | $92,594 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $96,311 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $82,399 |
| 35 | Illinois | $88,759 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $76,985 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $73,616 |
| 38 | Kansas | $77,119 |
| 39 | Alabama | $78,042 |
| 40 | Florida | $86,041 |
| 41 | Washington | $81,501 |
| 42 | Missouri | $74,227 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $75,310 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $78,480 |
| 45 | Iowa | $74,678 |
| 46 | Virginia | $79,210 |
| 47 | District of Columbia | $84,772 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $72,077 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $68,716 |
| 50 | Georgia | $67,794 |
| 51 | Utah | $64,220 |
Expert opinions on the best states for senior project scientists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for senior project scientists to find work opportunities?
Sami Mejri Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Science, Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs, Tiffin University
With the rising cost of living, a college graduate's ideal first job may not be in their home state or favorite vacation town. According to Business Insider, MidWestern cities like Columbus-Ohio, Cincinnati-Ohio, Madison-Wisconsin, Milwaukee-Wisconsin, and Indianapolis-Indiana were some of the best geographical areas to live for college graduates. The cost of living in these Midwestern states remains relatively lower than coastal areas, making these locations ideal for college graduates entering the workforce. However, college graduates with degrees in healthcare, computer science, and data analytics may not be limited to these geographical areas, given employers' incentives to these in-demand jobs.
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Updated January 8, 2025