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Best states for a systems specialist
Quoted expert
Kathleen Riley
- Rank 1 - 10
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- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and computer and mathematical careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to systems specialist jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for systems specialists.In order to help you decide which state is the best for systems specialists, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for systems specialist jobs.
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 systems specialists.Delaware is the best state, and Pacifica is the city with the highest pay for systems specialists.
10 best states for systems specialists in 2026
1. Delaware
Total systems specialist jobs: 269 Average annual salary: $93,927 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
2. Connecticut
Total systems specialist jobs: 626 Average annual salary: $95,287 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
3. Virginia
Total systems specialist jobs: 2,523 Average annual salary: $90,728 Lowest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location Quotient: 1.47
4. Rhode Island
Total systems specialist jobs: 247 Average annual salary: $89,666 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
5. District of Columbia
Total systems specialist jobs: 608 Average annual salary: $95,282 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 1.99
6. Georgia
Total systems specialist jobs: 1,797 Average annual salary: $92,251 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
7. New York
Total systems specialist jobs: 2,158 Average annual salary: $98,562 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
8. Oregon
Total systems specialist jobs: 839 Average annual salary: $90,296 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
9. Maryland
Total systems specialist jobs: 1,495 Average annual salary: $92,764 Lowest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
10. Texas
Total systems specialist jobs: 3,907 Average annual salary: $86,802 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
Systems specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a systems specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a systems specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $93,927 | $67,000 | 961,939 | 269 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $95,287 | $68,000 | 3,588,184 | 626 |
| 3 | Virginia | $90,728 | $65,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,523 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $89,666 | $64,000 | 1,059,639 | 247 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $95,282 | $68,000 | 693,972 | 608 |
| 6 | Georgia | $92,251 | $67,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,797 |
| 7 | New York | $98,562 | $70,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,158 |
| 8 | Oregon | $90,296 | $64,000 | 4,142,776 | 839 |
| 9 | Maryland | $92,764 | $66,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,495 |
| 10 | Texas | $86,802 | $62,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,907 |
| 11 | California | $105,929 | $72,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,256 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $85,446 | $62,000 | 1,815,857 | 270 |
| 13 | Nevada | $85,817 | $59,000 | 2,998,039 | 383 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $93,391 | $67,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,436 |
| 15 | Arizona | $82,515 | $58,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,467 |
| 16 | Washington | $86,607 | $62,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,491 |
| 17 | Alabama | $87,665 | $64,000 | 4,874,747 | 636 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $80,501 | $57,000 | 2,088,070 | 415 |
| 19 | Vermont | $80,385 | $58,000 | 623,657 | 206 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $82,332 | $60,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,682 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $81,592 | $58,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,981 |
| 22 | Ohio | $82,588 | $59,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,485 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $81,488 | $58,000 | 1,342,795 | 334 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $88,960 | $63,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,285 |
| 25 | Florida | $79,851 | $56,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,475 |
| 26 | Michigan | $78,451 | $56,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,307 |
| 27 | Iowa | $75,754 | $55,000 | 3,145,711 | 760 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $74,220 | $54,000 | 755,393 | 234 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $78,755 | $57,000 | 5,024,369 | 681 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $78,531 | $57,000 | 4,454,189 | 530 |
| 31 | Indiana | $77,474 | $56,000 | 6,666,818 | 979 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $72,330 | $57,000 | 1,427,538 | 270 |
| 33 | Illinois | $77,776 | $56,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,172 |
| 34 | Colorado | $77,098 | $55,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,152 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $76,595 | $55,000 | 5,795,483 | 939 |
| 36 | Utah | $75,472 | $52,000 | 3,101,833 | 605 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $77,866 | $56,000 | 4,684,333 | 464 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $75,145 | $55,000 | 6,715,984 | 880 |
| 39 | Kansas | $74,442 | $54,000 | 2,913,123 | 538 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $66,386 | $47,000 | 579,315 | 164 |
| 41 | Alaska | $63,723 | $53,000 | 739,795 | 222 |
| 42 | Idaho | $68,588 | $48,000 | 1,716,943 | 376 |
| 43 | Maine | $69,767 | $50,000 | 1,335,907 | 276 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $68,625 | $50,000 | 869,666 | 216 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $70,207 | $51,000 | 2,984,100 | 378 |
| 46 | Montana | $69,006 | $50,000 | 1,050,493 | 234 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $73,336 | $53,000 | 3,930,864 | 460 |
| 48 | Minnesota | $73,679 | $53,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,067 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $64,705 | $47,000 | 1,920,076 | 491 |
| 50 | Missouri | $73,200 | $53,000 | 6,113,532 | 882 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $66,125 | $48,000 | 3,004,279 | 420 |
Highest paying states for systems specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Systems Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $93,927 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $95,287 |
| 3 | Virginia | $90,728 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $89,666 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $95,282 |
| 6 | Georgia | $92,251 |
| 7 | New York | $98,562 |
| 8 | Oregon | $90,296 |
| 9 | Maryland | $92,764 |
| 10 | Texas | $86,802 |
| 11 | California | $105,929 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $85,446 |
| 13 | Nevada | $85,817 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $93,391 |
| 15 | Arizona | $82,515 |
| 16 | Washington | $86,607 |
| 17 | Alabama | $87,665 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $80,501 |
| 19 | Vermont | $80,385 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $82,332 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $81,592 |
| 22 | Ohio | $82,588 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $81,488 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $88,960 |
| 25 | Florida | $79,851 |
| 26 | Michigan | $78,451 |
| 27 | Iowa | $75,754 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $74,220 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $78,755 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $78,531 |
| 31 | Indiana | $77,474 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $72,330 |
| 33 | Illinois | $77,776 |
| 34 | Colorado | $77,098 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $76,595 |
| 36 | Utah | $75,472 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $77,866 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $75,145 |
| 39 | Kansas | $74,442 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $66,386 |
| 41 | Alaska | $63,723 |
| 42 | Idaho | $68,588 |
| 43 | Maine | $69,767 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $68,625 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $70,207 |
| 46 | Montana | $69,006 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $73,336 |
| 48 | Minnesota | $73,679 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $64,705 |
| 50 | Missouri | $73,200 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $66,125 |
Expert opinions on the best states for systems specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for systems specialists to find work opportunities?
Kathleen Riley
Professor, American University
My computer science students from the class of 2020 had a variety of experiences when they entered the job market after graduation. Those who had already signed on at companies like Amazon or Google, whose business stayed strong during the pandemic and whose workplace models adjusted easily to remote work, had a relatively easy time starting their industry jobs. Others, especially those who had planned to work for companies whose business depended on clients or industries which suffered under the pandemic, saw delays, changes in their work plans, and even cancellations of contracts; several found themselves job hunting again over the summer, interviewing remotely and having to assess companies without setting foot outside their own home. Fortunately, there are still a lot of jobs out there for Computer Science graduates, and most of the students I know have found other placements or are well into that process.
We all know about the abundance of computer science opportunities in the Silicon Valley, the Dulles Technology corridor, and other tech hubs, but there is also an abundance of computer science opportunities in large and small cities throughout the country. In addition to businesses whose focus or products are technology-related, many other businesses have significant technology and computer science needs that are provided in-house, and those who thrive and survive will continue to hire.
Systems specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025