Best states for a station operator

Q: What is the best state for station operators?

The best state to be a station operator is Iowa based on station operator salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for station operators?

The highest paying state for station operators is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for station operators?

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

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

Are you thinking of becoming a station operator and really want to work at United States Army Corps of Engineers? Turns out, your chances to become a station operator are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that Iowa is the best state for station operators in America. The best city in America for station operators with the highest pay is Vancouver, WA.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for station operators. Iowa is the best state for station operators, where the median salary is $41,858.We found that Iowa is the best state for station operator jobs, whereas South Carolina is the worst.

10 best states for station operators in 2025

1. Iowa
Total station operator jobs: 12
Average annual salary: $41,858
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
0.31
Station operator jobs in Iowa
2. Michigan
Total station operator jobs: 30
Average annual salary: $41,510
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
0.36
Station operator jobs in Michigan
3. Washington
Total station operator jobs: 39
Average annual salary: $43,391
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.5
Station operator jobs in Washington
4. Indiana
Total station operator jobs: 24
Average annual salary: $40,245
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.34
Station operator jobs in Indiana
5. New Jersey
Total station operator jobs: 886
Average annual salary: $43,052
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
10.42
Station operator jobs in New Jersey
6. Pennsylvania
Total station operator jobs: 18
Average annual salary: $41,486
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
0.14
Station operator jobs in Pennsylvania
7. Minnesota
Total station operator jobs: 13
Average annual salary: $41,924
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
0.18
Station operator jobs in Minnesota
8. Wisconsin
Total station operator jobs: 6
Average annual salary: $41,489
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.1
Station operator jobs in Wisconsin
9. Kansas
Total station operator jobs: 6
Average annual salary: $40,468
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.19
Station operator jobs in Kansas
10. Illinois
Total station operator jobs: 19
Average annual salary: $42,184
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
0.15
Station operator jobs in Illinois

Station operator jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a station operator

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

Detailed list of the best states for a station operator

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Iowa	$41,858	$31,000	3,145,711	12
2	Michigan	$41,510	$30,000	9,962,311	30
3	Washington	$43,391	$33,000	7,405,743	39
4	Indiana	$40,245	$29,000	6,666,818	24
5	New Jersey	$43,052	$30,000	9,005,644	886
6	Pennsylvania	$41,486	$29,000	12,805,537	18
7	Minnesota	$41,924	$32,000	5,576,606	13
8	Wisconsin	$41,489	$31,000	5,795,483	6
9	Kansas	$40,468	$29,000	2,913,123	6
10	Illinois	$42,184	$31,000	12,802,023	19
11	New York	$42,988	$30,000	19,849,399	37
12	Oregon	$43,180	$32,000	4,142,776	5
13	Idaho	$41,954	$31,000	1,716,943	1
14	Alaska	$42,583	$38,000	739,795	100
15	Arizona	$40,250	$28,000	7,016,270	11
16	Texas	$38,804	$27,000	28,304,596	57
17	Tennessee	$38,440	$27,000	6,715,984	11
18	Oklahoma	$38,631	$27,000	3,930,864	7
19	Nevada	$37,980	$27,000	2,998,039	9
20	Wyoming	$40,494	$30,000	579,315	0
21	Maine	$40,252	$33,000	1,335,907	2
22	Montana	$38,701	$30,000	1,050,493	4
23	Rhode Island	$37,741	$27,000	1,059,639	150
24	South Dakota	$37,717	$28,000	869,666	2
25	Hawaii	$39,062	$31,000	1,427,538	100
26	Arkansas	$38,365	$27,000	3,004,279	2
27	New Mexico	$39,458	$28,000	2,088,070	1
28	California	$43,188	$30,000	39,536,653	17
29	Ohio	$37,372	$27,000	11,658,609	19
30	West Virginia	$36,901	$26,000	1,815,857	3
31	Alabama	$38,069	$26,000	4,874,747	6
32	North Carolina	$38,522	$27,000	10,273,419	9
33	Virginia	$40,148	$28,000	8,470,020	8
34	North Dakota	$38,949	$30,000	755,393	0
35	Massachusetts	$37,374	$28,000	6,859,819	1,227
36	District of Columbia	$37,638	$26,000	693,972	127
37	Vermont	$37,161	$30,000	623,657	2
38	Nebraska	$36,449	$27,000	1,920,076	5
39	Connecticut	$37,981	$27,000	3,588,184	7
40	Florida	$37,785	$26,000	20,984,400	23
41	Georgia	$37,984	$26,000	10,429,379	12
42	Utah	$37,226	$27,000	3,101,833	3
43	Kentucky	$35,997	$26,000	4,454,189	6
44	Missouri	$35,748	$26,000	6,113,532	12
45	Mississippi	$34,902	$24,000	2,984,100	4
46	Maryland	$37,785	$26,000	6,052,177	6
47	Delaware	$38,032	$26,000	961,939	0
48	New Hampshire	$37,186	$29,000	1,342,795	0
49	Colorado	$36,339	$26,000	5,607,154	6
50	Louisiana	$35,343	$24,000	4,684,333	2
51	South Carolina	$34,950	$24,000	5,024,369	4

Highest paying states for station operators

Rank	State	Avg. Station Operator Salary
1	Iowa	$41,858
2	Michigan	$41,510
3	Washington	$43,391
4	Indiana	$40,245
5	New Jersey	$43,052
6	Pennsylvania	$41,486
7	Minnesota	$41,924
8	Wisconsin	$41,489
9	Kansas	$40,468
10	Illinois	$42,184
11	New York	$42,988
12	Oregon	$43,180
13	Idaho	$41,954
14	Alaska	$42,583
15	Arizona	$40,250
16	Texas	$38,804
17	Tennessee	$38,440
18	Oklahoma	$38,631
19	Nevada	$37,980
20	Wyoming	$40,494
21	Maine	$40,252
22	Montana	$38,701
23	Rhode Island	$37,741
24	South Dakota	$37,717
25	Hawaii	$39,062
26	Arkansas	$38,365
27	New Mexico	$39,458
28	California	$43,188
29	Ohio	$37,372
30	West Virginia	$36,901
31	Alabama	$38,069
32	North Carolina	$38,522
33	Virginia	$40,148
34	North Dakota	$38,949
35	Massachusetts	$37,374
36	District of Columbia	$37,638
37	Vermont	$37,161
38	Nebraska	$36,449
39	Connecticut	$37,981
40	Florida	$37,785
41	Georgia	$37,984
42	Utah	$37,226
43	Kentucky	$35,997
44	Missouri	$35,748
45	Mississippi	$34,902
46	Maryland	$37,785
47	Delaware	$38,032
48	New Hampshire	$37,186
49	Colorado	$36,339
50	Louisiana	$35,343
51	South Carolina	$34,950

Station operator best states FAQs

What is the best state for station operators?

What is the highest paying state for station operators?

What is the worst state for station operators?

Have more questions? See all answers to common transportation questions.

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Best states for Station Operators

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total station operator jobs:	12
Average annual salary:	$41,858
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$31,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$56,000
Location Quotient:	0.31

Best states for a station operator

10 best states for station operators in 2025

1. Iowa

2. Michigan

3. Washington

4. Indiana

5. New Jersey

6. Pennsylvania

7. Minnesota

8. Wisconsin

9. Kansas

10. Illinois