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Best states for a sustaining engineer
Quoted expert
Jared Wilson
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for sustaining engineers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for sustaining engineer 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.We wanted to look at the best states for sustaining engineers -- where there are plenty of sustaining engineer jobs to go around and sustaining engineers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
Washington is the best state for jobs for sustaining engineers, and South Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $106,942, while the median pay in South Dakota is $71,924.We found that Washington is the best state for sustaining engineer jobs, whereas South Dakota is the worst.
10 best states for sustaining engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 1,687 Average annual salary: $106,942 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location Quotient: 1.422. Michigan
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 1,352 Average annual salary: $103,335 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 1.073. California
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 8,533 Average annual salary: $105,996 Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location Quotient: 1.84. Massachusetts
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 1,963 Average annual salary: $95,897 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 1.315. Texas
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 3,155 Average annual salary: $95,107 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 0.966. Alabama
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 634 Average annual salary: $94,708 Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 0.887. Utah
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 614 Average annual salary: $90,550 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 1.188. Virginia
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 2,013 Average annual salary: $93,999 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 1.319. Arizona
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 1,129 Average annual salary: $88,126 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location Quotient: 1.1910. Rhode Island
Total sustaining engineer jobs: 171 Average annual salary: $90,750 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Location Quotient: 0.87
Sustaining engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a sustaining engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a sustaining engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $106,942 | $80,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,687 |
| 2 | Michigan | $103,335 | $80,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,352 |
| 3 | California | $105,996 | $79,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,533 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $95,897 | $74,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,963 |
| 5 | Texas | $95,107 | $73,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,155 |
| 6 | Alabama | $94,708 | $74,000 | 4,874,747 | 634 |
| 7 | Utah | $90,550 | $67,000 | 3,101,833 | 614 |
| 8 | Virginia | $93,999 | $72,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,013 |
| 9 | Arizona | $88,126 | $67,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,129 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $90,750 | $70,000 | 1,059,639 | 171 |
| 11 | Nevada | $90,421 | $67,000 | 2,998,039 | 248 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $95,891 | $74,000 | 9,005,644 | 962 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $88,227 | $67,000 | 579,315 | 76 |
| 14 | Maryland | $92,566 | $71,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,271 |
| 15 | Kansas | $90,259 | $70,000 | 2,913,123 | 309 |
| 16 | Oregon | $88,182 | $65,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,026 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $85,176 | $66,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,493 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $87,316 | $67,000 | 693,972 | 415 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $88,877 | $68,000 | 4,684,333 | 219 |
| 20 | New York | $88,343 | $68,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,975 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $85,358 | $66,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,133 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $87,201 | $68,000 | 3,930,864 | 209 |
| 23 | Delaware | $85,278 | $65,000 | 961,939 | 218 |
| 24 | Ohio | $82,847 | $64,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,457 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $84,984 | $66,000 | 5,024,369 | 532 |
| 26 | Idaho | $84,485 | $63,000 | 1,716,943 | 234 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $85,130 | $65,000 | 3,588,184 | 519 |
| 28 | Montana | $85,182 | $65,000 | 1,050,493 | 130 |
| 29 | Florida | $85,860 | $66,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,723 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $84,643 | $64,000 | 2,088,070 | 243 |
| 31 | Georgia | $83,955 | $65,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,331 |
| 32 | Illinois | $83,989 | $65,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,630 |
| 33 | Colorado | $82,074 | $63,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,167 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $82,388 | $64,000 | 2,984,100 | 178 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $78,825 | $60,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,477 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $78,862 | $61,000 | 1,815,857 | 111 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $76,320 | $59,000 | 1,342,795 | 299 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $78,751 | $61,000 | 6,715,984 | 534 |
| 39 | Alaska | $80,374 | $68,000 | 739,795 | 79 |
| 40 | Maine | $80,905 | $63,000 | 1,335,907 | 118 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $77,892 | $60,000 | 3,004,279 | 252 |
| 42 | Missouri | $79,162 | $62,000 | 6,113,532 | 589 |
| 43 | Iowa | $76,375 | $59,000 | 3,145,711 | 385 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $74,368 | $58,000 | 755,393 | 117 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $80,536 | $65,000 | 1,427,538 | 78 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $75,892 | $59,000 | 4,454,189 | 371 |
| 47 | Vermont | $69,784 | $54,000 | 623,657 | 111 |
| 48 | Indiana | $69,857 | $54,000 | 6,666,818 | 898 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $71,062 | $55,000 | 5,795,483 | 711 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $70,062 | $54,000 | 1,920,076 | 260 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $71,924 | $56,000 | 869,666 | 70 |
Highest paying states for sustaining engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Sustaining Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $106,942 |
| 2 | Michigan | $103,335 |
| 3 | California | $105,996 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $95,897 |
| 5 | Texas | $95,107 |
| 6 | Alabama | $94,708 |
| 7 | Utah | $90,550 |
| 8 | Virginia | $93,999 |
| 9 | Arizona | $88,126 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $90,750 |
| 11 | Nevada | $90,421 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $95,891 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $88,227 |
| 14 | Maryland | $92,566 |
| 15 | Kansas | $90,259 |
| 16 | Oregon | $88,182 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $85,176 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $87,316 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $88,877 |
| 20 | New York | $88,343 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $85,358 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $87,201 |
| 23 | Delaware | $85,278 |
| 24 | Ohio | $82,847 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $84,984 |
| 26 | Idaho | $84,485 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $85,130 |
| 28 | Montana | $85,182 |
| 29 | Florida | $85,860 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $84,643 |
| 31 | Georgia | $83,955 |
| 32 | Illinois | $83,989 |
| 33 | Colorado | $82,074 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $82,388 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $78,825 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $78,862 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $76,320 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $78,751 |
| 39 | Alaska | $80,374 |
| 40 | Maine | $80,905 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $77,892 |
| 42 | Missouri | $79,162 |
| 43 | Iowa | $76,375 |
| 44 | North Dakota | $74,368 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $80,536 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $75,892 |
| 47 | Vermont | $69,784 |
| 48 | Indiana | $69,857 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $71,062 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $70,062 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $71,924 |
Expert opinions on the best states for sustaining engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for sustaining engineers to find work opportunities?
Jared Wilson
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator, East Tennessee State University
Within the field of land surveying and related employment opportunities, work is available. However, in my experience, work may not be in the exact location a person wishes to live. So, a move may be necessary, or potentially traveling to where the work is located. Should a graduate, or person for that matter, want to work, work is available.
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Updated January 8, 2025