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Best states for a store manager
Quoted expert
Dr. Timothy Edwards
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Store manager opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for store managers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for store managers.Our research found that Alabama is the best state for store managers, while Delaware and New York are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Alabama has a median salary of $50,721 and Delaware has the highest median salary among all 50 states for store managers.
In order to get you the best states for store managers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a store manager, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for store managers in 2026
1. Alabama
Total store manager jobs: 2,300 Average annual salary: $50,721 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
2. Delaware
Total store manager jobs: 544 Average annual salary: $62,363 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
3. Texas
Total store manager jobs: 10,258 Average annual salary: $50,204 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
4. Connecticut
Total store manager jobs: 1,515 Average annual salary: $55,514 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
5. New York
Total store manager jobs: 5,400 Average annual salary: $59,890 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
6. New Jersey
Total store manager jobs: 2,983 Average annual salary: $58,529 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
7. Maryland
Total store manager jobs: 3,068 Average annual salary: $52,110 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
8. Colorado
Total store manager jobs: 2,704 Average annual salary: $51,806 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
9. Virginia
Total store manager jobs: 4,261 Average annual salary: $52,104 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1
10. California
Total store manager jobs: 14,033 Average annual salary: $52,606 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
Store manager jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a store manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a store manager
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | $50,721 | $32,000 | 4,874,747 | 2,300 |
| 2 | Delaware | $62,363 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 544 |
| 3 | Texas | $50,204 | $32,000 | 28,304,596 | 10,258 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $55,514 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,515 |
| 5 | New York | $59,890 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 5,400 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $58,529 | $34,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,983 |
| 7 | Maryland | $52,110 | $30,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,068 |
| 8 | Colorado | $51,806 | $31,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,704 |
| 9 | Virginia | $52,104 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 4,261 |
| 10 | California | $52,606 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 14,033 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $55,167 | $33,000 | 1,059,639 | 416 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $64,345 | $38,000 | 693,972 | 461 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $44,690 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 3,072 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $45,604 | $29,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,612 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $45,919 | $28,000 | 10,273,419 | 4,393 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $51,661 | $31,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,542 |
| 17 | Washington | $49,349 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,143 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,006 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 722 |
| 19 | Illinois | $45,659 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 5,719 |
| 20 | Ohio | $44,635 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 4,226 |
| 21 | Arizona | $44,198 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,790 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $43,523 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 2,098 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $45,327 | $26,000 | 12,805,537 | 4,687 |
| 24 | Florida | $44,518 | $29,000 | 20,984,400 | 7,888 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $53,842 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 310 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $42,945 | $24,000 | 5,795,483 | 2,533 |
| 27 | Georgia | $43,527 | $27,000 | 10,429,379 | 5,366 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $40,220 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,470 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $43,088 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,343 |
| 30 | Nevada | $45,805 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 769 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $45,234 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 282 |
| 32 | Indiana | $42,117 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 2,939 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $44,932 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 606 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $39,366 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,969 |
| 35 | Michigan | $41,625 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 3,200 |
| 36 | Montana | $43,570 | $25,000 | 1,050,493 | 402 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $37,272 | $22,000 | 1,815,857 | 815 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $42,515 | $23,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,638 |
| 39 | Kansas | $39,523 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,382 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $39,106 | $25,000 | 2,984,100 | 971 |
| 41 | Oregon | $43,061 | $25,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,560 |
| 42 | Iowa | $38,001 | $21,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,675 |
| 43 | Missouri | $38,881 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 2,671 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $37,798 | $22,000 | 579,315 | 255 |
| 45 | Maine | $36,811 | $22,000 | 1,335,907 | 557 |
| 46 | Alaska | $36,847 | $19,000 | 739,795 | 334 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $35,241 | $19,000 | 755,393 | 384 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $38,448 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 655 |
| 49 | Utah | $34,580 | $20,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,381 |
| 50 | Idaho | $35,935 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 528 |
| 51 | Vermont | $34,541 | $20,000 | 623,657 | 227 |
Highest paying states for store managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Store Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | $50,721 |
| 2 | Delaware | $62,363 |
| 3 | Texas | $50,204 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $55,514 |
| 5 | New York | $59,890 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $58,529 |
| 7 | Maryland | $52,110 |
| 8 | Colorado | $51,806 |
| 9 | Virginia | $52,104 |
| 10 | California | $52,606 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $55,167 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $64,345 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $44,690 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $45,604 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $45,919 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $51,661 |
| 17 | Washington | $49,349 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,006 |
| 19 | Illinois | $45,659 |
| 20 | Ohio | $44,635 |
| 21 | Arizona | $44,198 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $43,523 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $45,327 |
| 24 | Florida | $44,518 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $53,842 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $42,945 |
| 27 | Georgia | $43,527 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $40,220 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $43,088 |
| 30 | Nevada | $45,805 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $45,234 |
| 32 | Indiana | $42,117 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $44,932 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $39,366 |
| 35 | Michigan | $41,625 |
| 36 | Montana | $43,570 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $37,272 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $42,515 |
| 39 | Kansas | $39,523 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $39,106 |
| 41 | Oregon | $43,061 |
| 42 | Iowa | $38,001 |
| 43 | Missouri | $38,881 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $37,798 |
| 45 | Maine | $36,811 |
| 46 | Alaska | $36,847 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $35,241 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $38,448 |
| 49 | Utah | $34,580 |
| 50 | Idaho | $35,935 |
| 51 | Vermont | $34,541 |
Expert opinions on the best states for store managers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for store managers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Timothy Edwards
Professor, Interim Director, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Like most jobs, opportunities exist in major media hubs like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta. But one can find digital media jobs in medium and small markets as well. Looking media and media-related jobs in non-traditional places such as hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, religious institutions could bear fruit for the enterprizing college graduate.
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Updated January 8, 2025