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Best states for a technical scientist
Quoted expert
Don Snyder
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Are you thinking of becoming a technical scientist and really want to work at Abbott Laboratories? Turns out, your chances to become a technical scientist are better in some states than others.As technical scientists are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for technical scientists. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a technical scientist, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
The median salary for technical scientists in Delaware is $101,096. Compare that to the median salary in Utah of $61,109, which ranked worst for technical scientists, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Delaware is the best state, and Windsor is the city with the highest pay for technical scientists.
10 best states for technical scientists in 2025
1. Delaware
Total technical scientist jobs: 293 Average annual salary: $101,096 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
2. Connecticut
Total technical scientist jobs: 663 Average annual salary: $96,015 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
3. Nevada
Total technical scientist jobs: 356 Average annual salary: $91,001 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
4. Maine
Total technical scientist jobs: 218 Average annual salary: $91,860 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
5. California
Total technical scientist jobs: 3,335 Average annual salary: $109,460 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $157,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
6. Massachusetts
Total technical scientist jobs: 1,899 Average annual salary: $88,666 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 1.33
7. New Jersey
Total technical scientist jobs: 1,150 Average annual salary: $97,933 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location Quotient: 0.93
8. Indiana
Total technical scientist jobs: 936 Average annual salary: $90,762 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
9. Pennsylvania
Total technical scientist jobs: 2,375 Average annual salary: $82,352 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
10. Alaska
Total technical scientist jobs: 155 Average annual salary: $90,476 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
Technical scientist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a technical scientist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a technical scientist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $101,096 | $72,000 | 961,939 | 293 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $96,015 | $69,000 | 3,588,184 | 663 |
| 3 | Nevada | $91,001 | $62,000 | 2,998,039 | 356 |
| 4 | Maine | $91,860 | $67,000 | 1,335,907 | 218 |
| 5 | California | $109,460 | $76,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,335 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $88,666 | $64,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,899 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $97,933 | $70,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,150 |
| 8 | Indiana | $90,762 | $64,000 | 6,666,818 | 936 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $82,352 | $59,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,375 |
| 10 | Alaska | $90,476 | $72,000 | 739,795 | 155 |
| 11 | Montana | $103,546 | $73,000 | 1,050,493 | 96 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $91,540 | $63,000 | 6,715,984 | 739 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $86,024 | $62,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,237 |
| 14 | Arizona | $84,208 | $58,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,067 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $79,164 | $55,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,090 |
| 16 | Michigan | $81,245 | $58,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,139 |
| 17 | Colorado | $80,946 | $56,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,135 |
| 18 | Oregon | $88,689 | $62,000 | 4,142,776 | 326 |
| 19 | Washington | $85,970 | $60,000 | 7,405,743 | 784 |
| 20 | Ohio | $76,703 | $54,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,522 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $94,800 | $74,000 | 1,427,538 | 69 |
| 22 | Maryland | $82,589 | $58,000 | 6,052,177 | 933 |
| 23 | Illinois | $75,790 | $54,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,408 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $73,637 | $53,000 | 869,666 | 202 |
| 25 | Idaho | $73,791 | $51,000 | 1,716,943 | 334 |
| 26 | New York | $74,754 | $53,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,106 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $75,339 | $52,000 | 3,004,279 | 371 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $72,567 | $50,000 | 2,088,070 | 385 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $78,609 | $55,000 | 579,315 | 46 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $76,487 | $53,000 | 3,930,864 | 283 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $77,768 | $56,000 | 1,059,639 | 104 |
| 32 | Iowa | $74,497 | $53,000 | 3,145,711 | 455 |
| 33 | Virginia | $77,639 | $55,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,058 |
| 34 | Vermont | $76,926 | $56,000 | 623,657 | 66 |
| 35 | Missouri | $71,931 | $50,000 | 6,113,532 | 965 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $67,339 | $49,000 | 755,393 | 192 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $81,144 | $57,000 | 693,972 | 121 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $68,673 | $49,000 | 5,795,483 | 971 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $69,889 | $49,000 | 4,454,189 | 478 |
| 40 | Alabama | $70,835 | $47,000 | 4,874,747 | 459 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $69,018 | $49,000 | 1,815,857 | 170 |
| 42 | Kansas | $68,390 | $48,000 | 2,913,123 | 473 |
| 43 | Florida | $67,001 | $42,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,288 |
| 44 | Texas | $62,364 | $42,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,576 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $72,316 | $52,000 | 1,342,795 | 144 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $62,027 | $44,000 | 1,920,076 | 343 |
| 47 | Georgia | $55,705 | $38,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,537 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $58,460 | $40,000 | 5,024,369 | 621 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $61,532 | $40,000 | 4,684,333 | 332 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $59,185 | $39,000 | 2,984,100 | 210 |
| 51 | Utah | $61,109 | $42,000 | 3,101,833 | 235 |
Highest paying states for technical scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. Technical Scientist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $101,096 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $96,015 |
| 3 | Nevada | $91,001 |
| 4 | Maine | $91,860 |
| 5 | California | $109,460 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $88,666 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $97,933 |
| 8 | Indiana | $90,762 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $82,352 |
| 10 | Alaska | $90,476 |
| 11 | Montana | $103,546 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $91,540 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $86,024 |
| 14 | Arizona | $84,208 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $79,164 |
| 16 | Michigan | $81,245 |
| 17 | Colorado | $80,946 |
| 18 | Oregon | $88,689 |
| 19 | Washington | $85,970 |
| 20 | Ohio | $76,703 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $94,800 |
| 22 | Maryland | $82,589 |
| 23 | Illinois | $75,790 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $73,637 |
| 25 | Idaho | $73,791 |
| 26 | New York | $74,754 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $75,339 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $72,567 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $78,609 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $76,487 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $77,768 |
| 32 | Iowa | $74,497 |
| 33 | Virginia | $77,639 |
| 34 | Vermont | $76,926 |
| 35 | Missouri | $71,931 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $67,339 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $81,144 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $68,673 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $69,889 |
| 40 | Alabama | $70,835 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $69,018 |
| 42 | Kansas | $68,390 |
| 43 | Florida | $67,001 |
| 44 | Texas | $62,364 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $72,316 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $62,027 |
| 47 | Georgia | $55,705 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $58,460 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $61,532 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $59,185 |
| 51 | Utah | $61,109 |
Expert opinions on the best states for technical scientists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for technical scientists to find work opportunities?
Don Snyder
Associate Director, Industry Advising: STEM, William and Mary
Strong tech markets in the U.S. include Austin, Raleigh, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Columbus. Some markets are established in tech, while other markets are more up-and-coming. Smaller cities that may be "off the radar" include Huntsville and Tucson. Graduates need to look at different factors when exploring cities, including the cost of living. The dollar will go a lot further in Raleigh than in San Francisco. And some cities that were once more affordable may have a higher cost of living now due to the recent influx of residents.
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Updated January 8, 2025