Best states for a staff biologist

Q: What is the best state for staff biologists?

The best state to be a staff biologist is Pennsylvania based on staff biologist salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for staff biologists?

The highest paying state for staff biologists is South Carolina based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for staff biologists?

The worst state for staff biologists is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Dr. Paul Richardson

Rank 1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 51

Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for staff biologists? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for staff biologist jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Although there are abundant staff biologist jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Pennsylvania is the best state in the country for staff biologist jobs.

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 biologists.We found that the South is best for staff biologists, and the Northeast is the worst. Rahway, NJ is the best city in the country for staff biologist jobs, where as Pennsylvania is the best state in the country.

10 best states for staff biologists in 2026

1. Pennsylvania
Total staff biologist jobs: 1,582
Average annual salary: $78,037
Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Staff biologist jobs in Pennsylvania
2. Rhode Island
Total staff biologist jobs: 139
Average annual salary: $75,200
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Staff biologist jobs in Rhode Island
3. Utah
Total staff biologist jobs: 284
Average annual salary: $77,948
Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Staff biologist jobs in Utah
4. Nevada
Total staff biologist jobs: 223
Average annual salary: $74,048
Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Staff biologist jobs in Nevada
5. Oregon
Total staff biologist jobs: 406
Average annual salary: $73,941
Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Staff biologist jobs in Oregon
6. New Jersey
Total staff biologist jobs: 774
Average annual salary: $74,310
Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Staff biologist jobs in New Jersey
7. Massachusetts
Total staff biologist jobs: 1,239
Average annual salary: $72,663
Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000
Location Quotient:
1.53
Staff biologist jobs in Massachusetts
8. Alaska
Total staff biologist jobs: 49
Average annual salary: $84,535
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000
Location Quotient:
0.66
Staff biologist jobs in Alaska
9. New Hampshire
Total staff biologist jobs: 129
Average annual salary: $74,742
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000
Location Quotient:
0.83
Staff biologist jobs in New Hampshire
10. Connecticut
Total staff biologist jobs: 248
Average annual salary: $74,734
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Location Quotient:
0.85
Staff biologist jobs in Connecticut

Staff biologist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a staff biologist

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

Detailed list of the best states for a staff biologist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Pennsylvania	$78,037	$53,000	12,805,537	1,582
2	Rhode Island	$75,200	$52,000	1,059,639	139
3	Utah	$77,948	$51,000	3,101,833	284
4	Nevada	$74,048	$48,000	2,998,039	223
5	Oregon	$73,941	$47,000	4,142,776	406
6	New Jersey	$74,310	$51,000	9,005,644	774
7	Massachusetts	$72,663	$50,000	6,859,819	1,239
8	Alaska	$84,535	$59,000	739,795	49
9	New Hampshire	$74,742	$52,000	1,342,795	129
10	Connecticut	$74,734	$52,000	3,588,184	248
11	Washington	$72,287	$47,000	7,405,743	665
12	District of Columbia	$76,721	$52,000	693,972	160
13	New York	$73,444	$51,000	19,849,399	1,180
14	Vermont	$70,846	$49,000	623,657	67
15	Maine	$67,133	$47,000	1,335,907	148
16	Montana	$69,091	$46,000	1,050,493	86
17	California	$69,411	$45,000	39,536,653	4,189
18	Hawaii	$75,202	$58,000	1,427,538	71
19	North Dakota	$71,176	$49,000	755,393	24
20	Delaware	$72,420	$49,000	961,939	71
21	Oklahoma	$68,946	$46,000	3,930,864	174
22	Indiana	$64,887	$44,000	6,666,818	466
23	Arizona	$63,739	$42,000	7,016,270	455
24	Georgia	$65,485	$43,000	10,429,379	750
25	South Dakota	$67,199	$46,000	869,666	27
26	Illinois	$61,688	$42,000	12,802,023	1,164
27	Minnesota	$62,791	$43,000	5,576,606	520
28	Idaho	$64,847	$42,000	1,716,943	109
29	Nebraska	$62,910	$42,000	1,920,076	161
30	West Virginia	$62,146	$42,000	1,815,857	93
31	Maryland	$62,316	$42,000	6,052,177	561
32	Michigan	$61,680	$42,000	9,962,311	513
33	Wyoming	$62,137	$42,000	579,315	35
34	Virginia	$64,402	$43,000	8,470,020	661
35	Alabama	$56,369	$37,000	4,874,747	376
36	Ohio	$55,966	$38,000	11,658,609	797
37	Iowa	$59,516	$40,000	3,145,711	223
38	Colorado	$59,850	$40,000	5,607,154	442
39	Kansas	$58,137	$39,000	2,913,123	212
40	Kentucky	$58,647	$39,000	4,454,189	221
41	Mississippi	$59,232	$38,000	2,984,100	98
42	Texas	$56,449	$36,000	28,304,596	1,506
43	Louisiana	$53,315	$34,000	4,684,333	279
44	North Carolina	$56,457	$38,000	10,273,419	604
45	Missouri	$52,613	$35,000	6,113,532	476
46	New Mexico	$53,906	$35,000	2,088,070	143
47	Tennessee	$53,180	$35,000	6,715,984	424
48	Wisconsin	$55,192	$37,000	5,795,483	344
49	Florida	$50,928	$32,000	20,984,400	1,190
50	Arkansas	$50,044	$33,000	3,004,279	195
51	South Carolina	$49,189	$32,000	5,024,369	281

Highest paying states for staff biologists

Rank	State	Avg. Staff Biologist Salary
1	Pennsylvania	$78,037
2	Rhode Island	$75,200
3	Utah	$77,948
4	Nevada	$74,048
5	Oregon	$73,941
6	New Jersey	$74,310
7	Massachusetts	$72,663
8	Alaska	$84,535
9	New Hampshire	$74,742
10	Connecticut	$74,734
11	Washington	$72,287
12	District of Columbia	$76,721
13	New York	$73,444
14	Vermont	$70,846
15	Maine	$67,133
16	Montana	$69,091
17	California	$69,411
18	Hawaii	$75,202
19	North Dakota	$71,176
20	Delaware	$72,420
21	Oklahoma	$68,946
22	Indiana	$64,887
23	Arizona	$63,739
24	Georgia	$65,485
25	South Dakota	$67,199
26	Illinois	$61,688
27	Minnesota	$62,791
28	Idaho	$64,847
29	Nebraska	$62,910
30	West Virginia	$62,146
31	Maryland	$62,316
32	Michigan	$61,680
33	Wyoming	$62,137
34	Virginia	$64,402
35	Alabama	$56,369
36	Ohio	$55,966
37	Iowa	$59,516
38	Colorado	$59,850
39	Kansas	$58,137
40	Kentucky	$58,647
41	Mississippi	$59,232
42	Texas	$56,449
43	Louisiana	$53,315
44	North Carolina	$56,457
45	Missouri	$52,613
46	New Mexico	$53,906
47	Tennessee	$53,180
48	Wisconsin	$55,192
49	Florida	$50,928
50	Arkansas	$50,044
51	South Carolina	$49,189

Expert opinions on the best states for staff biologists

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for staff biologists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Paul Richardson
Chair of Chemistry Professor of Biochemistry, Coastal Carolina University
The biotech field seems to have a tremendous amount of growth due to the pandemic-particularly those involved in the chemistry of health (drug design, drug manufacturing). The healthcare field has been expanding for years.

Staff biologist best states FAQs

What is the best state for staff biologists?

What is the highest paying state for staff biologists?

What is the worst state for staff biologists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.

Search for staff biologist jobs

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Staff Biologist
Best states for Staff Biologists

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs

Total staff biologist jobs:	1,582
Average annual salary:	$78,037
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$53,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$113,000
Location Quotient:	1.54

Best states for a staff biologist

10 best states for staff biologists in 2026

1. Pennsylvania

2. Rhode Island

3. Utah

4. Nevada

5. Oregon

6. New Jersey

7. Massachusetts

8. Alaska

9. New Hampshire

10. Connecticut