Best states for a ship worker

Q: What is the best state for ship workers?

The best state to be a ship worker is West Virginia based on ship worker salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for ship workers?

The highest paying state for ship workers is Texas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for ship workers?

The worst state for ship workers is Wisconsin, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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41 - 51

Job opportunities vary from state to state, and transportation careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to ship worker jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for ship workers.We wanted to look at the best states for ship workers -- where there are plenty of ship worker jobs to go around and ship workers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

In order to get you the best states for ship workers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that West Virginia is the best state for ship worker jobs, whereas Wisconsin is the worst.

10 best states for ship workers in 2026

1. West Virginia
Total ship worker jobs: 237
Average annual salary: $31,693
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
2.01
Ship worker jobs in West Virginia
2. Washington
Total ship worker jobs: 958
Average annual salary: $29,514
Lowest 10 percent earn: $20,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.7
Ship worker jobs in Washington
3. Vermont
Total ship worker jobs: 25
Average annual salary: $34,655
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
0.42
Ship worker jobs in Vermont
4. Nebraska
Total ship worker jobs: 283
Average annual salary: $28,413
Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Location Quotient:
1.65
Ship worker jobs in Nebraska
5. Rhode Island
Total ship worker jobs: 41
Average annual salary: $31,595
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
0.44
Ship worker jobs in Rhode Island
6. Maryland
Total ship worker jobs: 186
Average annual salary: $32,265
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
0.38
Ship worker jobs in Maryland
7. District of Columbia
Total ship worker jobs: 101
Average annual salary: $33,269
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
0.78
Ship worker jobs in District of Columbia
8. Mississippi
Total ship worker jobs: 38
Average annual salary: $29,234
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.23
Ship worker jobs in Mississippi
9. Pennsylvania
Total ship worker jobs: 125
Average annual salary: $30,558
Lowest 10 percent earn: $21,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
0.14
Ship worker jobs in Pennsylvania
10. Wyoming
Total ship worker jobs: 72
Average annual salary: $26,350
Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Location Quotient:
1.56
Ship worker jobs in Wyoming

Ship worker jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a ship worker

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

Detailed list of the best states for a ship worker

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	West Virginia	$31,693	$21,000	1,815,857	237
2	Washington	$29,514	$20,000	7,405,743	958
3	Vermont	$34,655	$28,000	623,657	25
4	Nebraska	$28,413	$18,000	1,920,076	283
5	Rhode Island	$31,595	$24,000	1,059,639	41
6	Maryland	$32,265	$22,000	6,052,177	186
7	District of Columbia	$33,269	$22,000	693,972	101
8	Mississippi	$29,234	$19,000	2,984,100	38
9	Pennsylvania	$30,558	$21,000	12,805,537	125
10	Wyoming	$26,350	$17,000	579,315	72
11	California	$30,324	$18,000	39,536,653	3,576
12	New York	$29,562	$21,000	19,849,399	1,461
13	New Jersey	$31,923	$22,000	9,005,644	56
14	Maine	$31,971	$27,000	1,335,907	28
15	North Dakota	$29,861	$22,000	755,393	11
16	Iowa	$28,802	$19,000	3,145,711	56
17	Illinois	$29,978	$20,000	12,802,023	103
18	South Dakota	$25,656	$17,000	869,666	144
19	Arizona	$27,330	$17,000	7,016,270	149
20	Utah	$25,388	$15,000	3,101,833	398
21	Delaware	$27,299	$19,000	961,939	117
22	Kansas	$27,421	$17,000	2,913,123	34
23	Massachusetts	$28,937	$22,000	6,859,819	223
24	Louisiana	$25,179	$16,000	4,684,333	406
25	Kentucky	$26,544	$17,000	4,454,189	62
26	Virginia	$27,732	$18,000	8,470,020	991
27	Oklahoma	$25,635	$16,000	3,930,864	310
28	Montana	$26,408	$18,000	1,050,493	37
29	Georgia	$25,356	$16,000	10,429,379	1,268
30	Minnesota	$27,959	$20,000	5,576,606	73
31	Missouri	$25,377	$16,000	6,113,532	697
32	Colorado	$26,409	$16,000	5,607,154	673
33	Indiana	$26,283	$17,000	6,666,818	98
34	South Carolina	$25,100	$16,000	5,024,369	507
35	Florida	$24,709	$16,000	20,984,400	2,168
36	Alaska	$27,250	$24,000	739,795	18
37	Hawaii	$22,128	$19,000	1,427,538	117
38	New Mexico	$24,543	$15,000	2,088,070	212
39	Connecticut	$25,039	$18,000	3,588,184	398
40	Oregon	$23,870	$15,000	4,142,776	507
41	Michigan	$24,315	$17,000	9,962,311	139
42	Alabama	$23,784	$15,000	4,874,747	497
43	North Carolina	$24,065	$16,000	10,273,419	1,028
44	Idaho	$23,596	$15,000	1,716,943	192
45	Arkansas	$23,623	$15,000	3,004,279	63
46	Tennessee	$22,022	$14,000	6,715,984	715
47	Nevada	$23,789	$14,000	2,998,039	30
48	New Hampshire	$24,118	$19,000	1,342,795	14
49	Ohio	$22,949	$15,000	11,658,609	162
50	Texas	$21,075	$13,000	28,304,596	2,159
51	Wisconsin	$21,848	$15,000	5,795,483	71

Highest paying states for ship workers

Rank	State	Avg. Ship Worker Salary
1	West Virginia	$31,693
2	Washington	$29,514
3	Vermont	$34,655
4	Nebraska	$28,413
5	Rhode Island	$31,595
6	Maryland	$32,265
7	District of Columbia	$33,269
8	Mississippi	$29,234
9	Pennsylvania	$30,558
10	Wyoming	$26,350
11	California	$30,324
12	New York	$29,562
13	New Jersey	$31,923
14	Maine	$31,971
15	North Dakota	$29,861
16	Iowa	$28,802
17	Illinois	$29,978
18	South Dakota	$25,656
19	Arizona	$27,330
20	Utah	$25,388
21	Delaware	$27,299
22	Kansas	$27,421
23	Massachusetts	$28,937
24	Louisiana	$25,179
25	Kentucky	$26,544
26	Virginia	$27,732
27	Oklahoma	$25,635
28	Montana	$26,408
29	Georgia	$25,356
30	Minnesota	$27,959
31	Missouri	$25,377
32	Colorado	$26,409
33	Indiana	$26,283
34	South Carolina	$25,100
35	Florida	$24,709
36	Alaska	$27,250
37	Hawaii	$22,128
38	New Mexico	$24,543
39	Connecticut	$25,039
40	Oregon	$23,870
41	Michigan	$24,315
42	Alabama	$23,784
43	North Carolina	$24,065
44	Idaho	$23,596
45	Arkansas	$23,623
46	Tennessee	$22,022
47	Nevada	$23,789
48	New Hampshire	$24,118
49	Ohio	$22,949
50	Texas	$21,075
51	Wisconsin	$21,848

Best states for a ship worker

10 best states for ship workers in 2026

1. West Virginia

2. Washington

3. Vermont

4. Nebraska

5. Rhode Island

6. Maryland

7. District of Columbia

8. Mississippi

9. Pennsylvania

10. Wyoming

Ship worker jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a ship worker

Detailed list of the best states for a ship worker

Highest paying states for ship workers

Ship worker best states FAQs

What is the best state for ship workers?

What is the highest paying state for ship workers?

What is the worst state for ship workers?

Search for ship worker jobs

Total ship worker jobs:	237
Average annual salary:	$31,693
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$21,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location Quotient:	2.01