Best states for a store leader

Q: What is the best state for store leaders?

The best state to be a store leader is New Jersey based on store leader salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for store leaders?

The highest paying state for store leaders is Iowa based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for store leaders?

The worst state for store leaders is Iowa, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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Are you thinking of becoming a store leader and really want to work at Payless ShoeSource? Turns out, your chances to become a store leader are better in some states than others.We wanted to look at the best states for store leaders -- where there are plenty of store leader jobs to go around and store leaders get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.

In order to get you the best states for store leaders, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.New Jersey is the best state, and Cumberland is the city with the highest pay for store leaders.

10 best states for store leaders in 2025

1. New Jersey
Total store leader jobs: 3,915
Average annual salary: $49,448
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Location Quotient:
1
Store leader jobs in New Jersey
2. Rhode Island
Total store leader jobs: 485
Average annual salary: $63,088
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Store leader jobs in Rhode Island
3. Wisconsin
Total store leader jobs: 2,740
Average annual salary: $42,515
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Store leader jobs in Wisconsin
4. Vermont
Total store leader jobs: 344
Average annual salary: $46,479
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Store leader jobs in Vermont
5. Massachusetts
Total store leader jobs: 3,711
Average annual salary: $55,684
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
0.82
Store leader jobs in Massachusetts
6. Missouri
Total store leader jobs: 3,277
Average annual salary: $40,758
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Store leader jobs in Missouri
7. New York
Total store leader jobs: 6,503
Average annual salary: $45,750
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Store leader jobs in New York
8. Wyoming
Total store leader jobs: 300
Average annual salary: $39,905
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Store leader jobs in Wyoming
9. North Dakota
Total store leader jobs: 490
Average annual salary: $39,094
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Store leader jobs in North Dakota
10. Pennsylvania
Total store leader jobs: 5,444
Average annual salary: $42,284
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Store leader jobs in Pennsylvania

Store leader jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a store leader

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

Detailed list of the best states for a store leader

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Jersey	$49,448	$34,000	9,005,644	3,915
2	Rhode Island	$63,088	$42,000	1,059,639	485
3	Wisconsin	$42,515	$32,000	5,795,483	2,740
4	Vermont	$46,479	$31,000	623,657	344
5	Massachusetts	$55,684	$37,000	6,859,819	3,711
6	Missouri	$40,758	$32,000	6,113,532	3,277
7	New York	$45,750	$31,000	19,849,399	6,503
8	Wyoming	$39,905	$31,000	579,315	300
9	North Dakota	$39,094	$30,000	755,393	490
10	Pennsylvania	$42,284	$29,000	12,805,537	5,444
11	Maine	$40,871	$28,000	1,335,907	689
12	Nebraska	$45,178	$35,000	1,920,076	846
13	Tennessee	$37,310	$29,000	6,715,984	3,883
14	Alaska	$46,826	$40,000	739,795	322
15	New Hampshire	$41,507	$28,000	1,342,795	852
16	Washington	$43,924	$34,000	7,405,743	3,077
17	Minnesota	$42,038	$32,000	5,576,606	2,757
18	Mississippi	$36,513	$28,000	2,984,100	1,496
19	Utah	$40,210	$31,000	3,101,833	1,390
20	Delaware	$43,857	$30,000	961,939	479
21	Alabama	$36,313	$28,000	4,874,747	2,633
22	Florida	$39,634	$30,000	20,984,400	7,727
23	District of Columbia	$48,706	$35,000	693,972	338
24	South Dakota	$38,271	$30,000	869,666	456
25	Maryland	$42,347	$30,000	6,052,177	2,994
26	North Carolina	$36,771	$28,000	10,273,419	5,451
27	Arkansas	$35,579	$28,000	3,004,279	1,484
28	Louisiana	$35,743	$28,000	4,684,333	1,945
29	Connecticut	$41,889	$28,000	3,588,184	1,399
30	Kentucky	$35,427	$27,000	4,454,189	2,267
31	South Carolina	$35,472	$27,000	5,024,369	2,794
32	Virginia	$38,378	$28,000	8,470,020	4,278
33	Hawaii	$40,254	$32,000	1,427,538	374
34	Colorado	$39,400	$31,000	5,607,154	2,405
35	Idaho	$38,243	$30,000	1,716,943	557
36	Texas	$35,122	$27,000	28,304,596	11,618
37	West Virginia	$34,377	$25,000	1,815,857	727
38	Michigan	$32,719	$24,000	9,962,311	4,326
39	Illinois	$36,393	$27,000	12,802,023	5,216
40	Kansas	$35,299	$27,000	2,913,123	1,331
41	Indiana	$31,970	$24,000	6,666,818	3,598
42	California	$36,928	$27,000	39,536,653	13,082
43	Oklahoma	$31,460	$24,000	3,930,864	1,763
44	Montana	$34,036	$27,000	1,050,493	522
45	Georgia	$31,891	$25,000	10,429,379	5,208
46	Ohio	$30,333	$22,000	11,658,609	5,567
47	Arizona	$34,233	$26,000	7,016,270	2,462
48	New Mexico	$30,346	$23,000	2,088,070	1,013
49	Nevada	$31,689	$24,000	2,998,039	888
50	Oregon	$31,488	$24,000	4,142,776	1,645
51	Iowa	$29,079	$22,000	3,145,711	1,459

Highest paying states for store leaders

Rank	State	Avg. Store Leader Salary
1	New Jersey	$49,448
2	Rhode Island	$63,088
3	Wisconsin	$42,515
4	Vermont	$46,479
5	Massachusetts	$55,684
6	Missouri	$40,758
7	New York	$45,750
8	Wyoming	$39,905
9	North Dakota	$39,094
10	Pennsylvania	$42,284
11	Maine	$40,871
12	Nebraska	$45,178
13	Tennessee	$37,310
14	Alaska	$46,826
15	New Hampshire	$41,507
16	Washington	$43,924
17	Minnesota	$42,038
18	Mississippi	$36,513
19	Utah	$40,210
20	Delaware	$43,857
21	Alabama	$36,313
22	Florida	$39,634
23	District of Columbia	$48,706
24	South Dakota	$38,271
25	Maryland	$42,347
26	North Carolina	$36,771
27	Arkansas	$35,579
28	Louisiana	$35,743
29	Connecticut	$41,889
30	Kentucky	$35,427
31	South Carolina	$35,472
32	Virginia	$38,378
33	Hawaii	$40,254
34	Colorado	$39,400
35	Idaho	$38,243
36	Texas	$35,122
37	West Virginia	$34,377
38	Michigan	$32,719
39	Illinois	$36,393
40	Kansas	$35,299
41	Indiana	$31,970
42	California	$36,928
43	Oklahoma	$31,460
44	Montana	$34,036
45	Georgia	$31,891
46	Ohio	$30,333
47	Arizona	$34,233
48	New Mexico	$30,346
49	Nevada	$31,689
50	Oregon	$31,488
51	Iowa	$29,079

Store leader best states FAQs

What is the best state for store leaders?

What is the highest paying state for store leaders?

What is the worst state for store leaders?

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

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Best states for Store Leaders

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse sales jobs

Total store leader jobs:	3,915
Average annual salary:	$49,448
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$34,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$71,000
Location Quotient:	1

Best states for a store leader

10 best states for store leaders in 2025

1. New Jersey

2. Rhode Island

3. Wisconsin

4. Vermont

5. Massachusetts

6. Missouri

7. New York

8. Wyoming

9. North Dakota

10. Pennsylvania