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Best states for a student advisor
Quoted expert
Mariah Stopplecamp
- Rank 1 - 10
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- 41 - 51
It seems like student advisors are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for student advisors aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Our research found that Connecticut is the best state for student advisors, while Connecticut and Maryland are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Connecticut has a median salary of $52,779 and Connecticut has the highest median salary among all 50 states for student advisors.
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 student advisors.We found that the West is best for student advisors, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for student advisor jobs, where as Connecticut is the best state in the country.
10 best states for student advisors in 2026
1. Connecticut
Total student advisor jobs: 409 Average annual salary: $52,779 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.7
2. North Dakota
Total student advisor jobs: 121 Average annual salary: $50,161 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.79
3. District of Columbia
Total student advisor jobs: 170 Average annual salary: $54,775 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
4. Minnesota
Total student advisor jobs: 621 Average annual salary: $47,898 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
5. Wisconsin
Total student advisor jobs: 628 Average annual salary: $43,067 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
6. Delaware
Total student advisor jobs: 112 Average annual salary: $45,446 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
7. Virginia
Total student advisor jobs: 703 Average annual salary: $48,854 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
8. Massachusetts
Total student advisor jobs: 520 Average annual salary: $49,936 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 0.78
9. Vermont
Total student advisor jobs: 58 Average annual salary: $45,075 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
10. Michigan
Total student advisor jobs: 612 Average annual salary: $42,078 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
Student advisor jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a student advisor
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a student advisor
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $52,779 | $39,000 | 3,588,184 | 409 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $50,161 | $39,000 | 755,393 | 121 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $54,775 | $40,000 | 693,972 | 170 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $47,898 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 621 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $43,067 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 628 |
| 6 | Delaware | $45,446 | $33,000 | 961,939 | 112 |
| 7 | Virginia | $48,854 | $36,000 | 8,470,020 | 703 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $49,936 | $39,000 | 6,859,819 | 520 |
| 9 | Vermont | $45,075 | $36,000 | 623,657 | 58 |
| 10 | Michigan | $42,078 | $31,000 | 9,962,311 | 612 |
| 11 | Maryland | $50,630 | $37,000 | 6,052,177 | 405 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $47,884 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 67 |
| 13 | Alaska | $44,835 | $39,000 | 739,795 | 60 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $42,339 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 161 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $41,419 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 863 |
| 16 | New York | $43,787 | $32,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,089 |
| 17 | California | $47,896 | $37,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,967 |
| 18 | Iowa | $39,448 | $30,000 | 3,145,711 | 292 |
| 19 | Washington | $43,818 | $35,000 | 7,405,743 | 470 |
| 20 | Ohio | $40,854 | $30,000 | 11,658,609 | 591 |
| 21 | Illinois | $39,374 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,000 |
| 22 | Missouri | $38,337 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 516 |
| 23 | Texas | $39,151 | $30,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,543 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $40,468 | $32,000 | 1,342,795 | 114 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $37,212 | $29,000 | 6,715,984 | 517 |
| 26 | Maine | $39,580 | $32,000 | 1,335,907 | 92 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $42,846 | $31,000 | 9,005,644 | 509 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $36,365 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 92 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $37,315 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 162 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $38,014 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 70 |
| 31 | Colorado | $38,982 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 445 |
| 32 | Indiana | $38,556 | $29,000 | 6,666,818 | 402 |
| 33 | Arizona | $36,997 | $29,000 | 7,016,270 | 513 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $38,723 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 548 |
| 35 | Idaho | $38,053 | $30,000 | 1,716,943 | 101 |
| 36 | Oregon | $38,475 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 265 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $36,823 | $29,000 | 2,088,070 | 143 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $35,167 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 117 |
| 39 | Alabama | $36,248 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 312 |
| 40 | Georgia | $37,820 | $29,000 | 10,429,379 | 549 |
| 41 | Nevada | $35,147 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 175 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $32,869 | $28,000 | 1,427,538 | 77 |
| 43 | Florida | $34,456 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,258 |
| 44 | Utah | $29,373 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 382 |
| 45 | Kansas | $35,729 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 68 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $33,364 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 231 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $32,413 | $25,000 | 4,454,189 | 255 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $34,158 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 88 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $34,126 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 223 |
| 50 | Montana | $34,012 | $27,000 | 1,050,493 | 25 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $28,594 | $22,000 | 3,930,864 | 62 |
Highest paying states for student advisors
| Rank | State | Avg. Student Advisor Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $52,779 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $50,161 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $54,775 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $47,898 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $43,067 |
| 6 | Delaware | $45,446 |
| 7 | Virginia | $48,854 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $49,936 |
| 9 | Vermont | $45,075 |
| 10 | Michigan | $42,078 |
| 11 | Maryland | $50,630 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $47,884 |
| 13 | Alaska | $44,835 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $42,339 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $41,419 |
| 16 | New York | $43,787 |
| 17 | California | $47,896 |
| 18 | Iowa | $39,448 |
| 19 | Washington | $43,818 |
| 20 | Ohio | $40,854 |
| 21 | Illinois | $39,374 |
| 22 | Missouri | $38,337 |
| 23 | Texas | $39,151 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $40,468 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $37,212 |
| 26 | Maine | $39,580 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $42,846 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $36,365 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $37,315 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $38,014 |
| 31 | Colorado | $38,982 |
| 32 | Indiana | $38,556 |
| 33 | Arizona | $36,997 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $38,723 |
| 35 | Idaho | $38,053 |
| 36 | Oregon | $38,475 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $36,823 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $35,167 |
| 39 | Alabama | $36,248 |
| 40 | Georgia | $37,820 |
| 41 | Nevada | $35,147 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $32,869 |
| 43 | Florida | $34,456 |
| 44 | Utah | $29,373 |
| 45 | Kansas | $35,729 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $33,364 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $32,413 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $34,158 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $34,126 |
| 50 | Montana | $34,012 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $28,594 |
Expert opinions on the best states for student advisors
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for student advisors to find work opportunities?
Mariah Stopplecamp
Coordinator, Montana State University
Right now, we see companies in larger metropolitan areas being the hubs of employment for recent grads. These are the companies that are large enough to survive the fiscal challenges that COVID has provided. These larger metro areas are working remotely, currently, and are providing recent grads the flexibility to stay located where they are.
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Updated January 8, 2025