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Best states for a staff assistant
Quoted expert
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for staff assistants in the United States. Staff assistant 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 staff assistants.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of staff assistants in America is $63,000.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for staff assistants.If you are currently seeking employment as a staff assistant, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for staff assistants in 2026
1. Massachusetts
Total staff assistant jobs: 2,088 Average annual salary: $65,211 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
2. Connecticut
Total staff assistant jobs: 543 Average annual salary: $65,587 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
3. New York
Total staff assistant jobs: 2,541 Average annual salary: $57,802 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.38
4. Rhode Island
Total staff assistant jobs: 172 Average annual salary: $63,151 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
5. District of Columbia
Total staff assistant jobs: 380 Average annual salary: $57,088 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
6. Washington
Total staff assistant jobs: 1,211 Average annual salary: $53,082 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
7. Maine
Total staff assistant jobs: 219 Average annual salary: $50,173 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
8. Vermont
Total staff assistant jobs: 102 Average annual salary: $57,354 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
9. Pennsylvania
Total staff assistant jobs: 1,945 Average annual salary: $48,211 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
10. New Jersey
Total staff assistant jobs: 1,114 Average annual salary: $56,616 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
Staff assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a staff assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a staff assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $65,211 | $39,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,088 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $65,587 | $38,000 | 3,588,184 | 543 |
| 3 | New York | $57,802 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,541 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $63,151 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 172 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $57,088 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 380 |
| 6 | Washington | $53,082 | $34,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,211 |
| 7 | Maine | $50,173 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 219 |
| 8 | Vermont | $57,354 | $34,000 | 623,657 | 102 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $48,211 | $28,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,945 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $56,616 | $33,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,114 |
| 11 | Virginia | $52,433 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,400 |
| 12 | Illinois | $47,983 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,985 |
| 13 | Alaska | $45,359 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 165 |
| 14 | Michigan | $49,764 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,007 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $54,321 | $32,000 | 1,342,795 | 196 |
| 16 | Nevada | $44,864 | $28,000 | 2,998,039 | 313 |
| 17 | Oregon | $45,954 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 605 |
| 18 | Colorado | $44,788 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 956 |
| 19 | Maryland | $47,406 | $28,000 | 6,052,177 | 982 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $43,881 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 424 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $46,160 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 138 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $47,064 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 186 |
| 23 | California | $50,688 | $31,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,690 |
| 24 | Ohio | $39,740 | $24,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,446 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $42,633 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 907 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $41,390 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 181 |
| 27 | Alabama | $39,875 | $24,000 | 4,874,747 | 567 |
| 28 | Texas | $38,636 | $23,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,984 |
| 29 | Arizona | $37,787 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 952 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $37,659 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 792 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $38,912 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 501 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $36,924 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 737 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $36,598 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 82 |
| 34 | Montana | $36,029 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 189 |
| 35 | Idaho | $36,242 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 242 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $39,094 | $25,000 | 755,393 | 79 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $38,232 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,084 |
| 38 | Missouri | $38,416 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 721 |
| 39 | Delaware | $40,607 | $23,000 | 961,939 | 137 |
| 40 | Iowa | $36,717 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 472 |
| 41 | Florida | $35,096 | $21,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,844 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $38,521 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 163 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $37,513 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 310 |
| 44 | Utah | $35,120 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 499 |
| 45 | Indiana | $34,644 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 901 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $35,677 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 272 |
| 47 | Georgia | $33,193 | $20,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,405 |
| 48 | Kansas | $33,036 | $21,000 | 2,913,123 | 374 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $32,903 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 454 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $30,182 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 325 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $31,160 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 64 |
Highest paying states for staff assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Staff Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $65,211 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $65,587 |
| 3 | New York | $57,802 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $63,151 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $57,088 |
| 6 | Washington | $53,082 |
| 7 | Maine | $50,173 |
| 8 | Vermont | $57,354 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $48,211 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $56,616 |
| 11 | Virginia | $52,433 |
| 12 | Illinois | $47,983 |
| 13 | Alaska | $45,359 |
| 14 | Michigan | $49,764 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $54,321 |
| 16 | Nevada | $44,864 |
| 17 | Oregon | $45,954 |
| 18 | Colorado | $44,788 |
| 19 | Maryland | $47,406 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $43,881 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $46,160 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $47,064 |
| 23 | California | $50,688 |
| 24 | Ohio | $39,740 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $42,633 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $41,390 |
| 27 | Alabama | $39,875 |
| 28 | Texas | $38,636 |
| 29 | Arizona | $37,787 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $37,659 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $38,912 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $36,924 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $36,598 |
| 34 | Montana | $36,029 |
| 35 | Idaho | $36,242 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $39,094 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $38,232 |
| 38 | Missouri | $38,416 |
| 39 | Delaware | $40,607 |
| 40 | Iowa | $36,717 |
| 41 | Florida | $35,096 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $38,521 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $37,513 |
| 44 | Utah | $35,120 |
| 45 | Indiana | $34,644 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $35,677 |
| 47 | Georgia | $33,193 |
| 48 | Kansas | $33,036 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $32,903 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $30,182 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $31,160 |
Expert opinions on the best states for staff assistants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for staff assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Mike Peterson Ph.D.
Department Chair and Associate Professor of English, Dixie State University
The great thing about a degree in English is that graduates can find work anywhere: teaching, freelance writing, technical writing, content production, editing, reporting-you name it. There are ample jobs in small towns and large cities in all of these areas. English degrees are also highly valued in a variety of jobs-such as sales, public relations, marketing, and paralegal work-because employers know these applicants, from day one, will have strong skills in writing, communication, critical thinking, and creative thinking.
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Updated January 8, 2025