Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a water resource specialist
Quoted expert
Donna Kukarola
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like water resource specialists are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for water resource specialists aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. In fact, our research shows that Nevada is the best state for water resource specialists in America. The best city in America for water resource specialists with the highest pay is White Plains, NY.
We figured that the best places for water resource specialist jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for water resource specialists, and the Northeast is the worst. White Plains, NY is the best city in the country for water resource specialist jobs, where as Nevada is the best state in the country.
10 best states for water resource specialists in 2025
1. Nevada
Total water resource specialist jobs: 197 Average annual salary: $80,503 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
2. Vermont
Total water resource specialist jobs: 76 Average annual salary: $81,847 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
3. Alaska
Total water resource specialist jobs: 85 Average annual salary: $79,063 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 1.71
4. Delaware
Total water resource specialist jobs: 95 Average annual salary: $83,243 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
5. Rhode Island
Total water resource specialist jobs: 65 Average annual salary: $85,063 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
6. New York
Total water resource specialist jobs: 746 Average annual salary: $84,580 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
7. District of Columbia
Total water resource specialist jobs: 145 Average annual salary: $81,921 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.45
8. Iowa
Total water resource specialist jobs: 304 Average annual salary: $70,202 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
9. New Hampshire
Total water resource specialist jobs: 98 Average annual salary: $83,806 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
10. Massachusetts
Total water resource specialist jobs: 480 Average annual salary: $84,551 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
Water resource specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a water resource specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a water resource specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $80,503 | $48,000 | 2,998,039 | 197 |
| 2 | Vermont | $81,847 | $52,000 | 623,657 | 76 |
| 3 | Alaska | $79,063 | $55,000 | 739,795 | 85 |
| 4 | Delaware | $83,243 | $52,000 | 961,939 | 95 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $85,063 | $53,000 | 1,059,639 | 65 |
| 6 | New York | $84,580 | $53,000 | 19,849,399 | 746 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $81,921 | $51,000 | 693,972 | 145 |
| 8 | Iowa | $70,202 | $46,000 | 3,145,711 | 304 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $83,806 | $52,000 | 1,342,795 | 98 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $84,551 | $53,000 | 6,859,819 | 480 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $84,956 | $53,000 | 3,588,184 | 161 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $65,965 | $46,000 | 755,393 | 80 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $84,410 | $53,000 | 9,005,644 | 357 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $66,097 | $41,000 | 1,815,857 | 110 |
| 15 | Ohio | $77,469 | $49,000 | 11,658,609 | 511 |
| 16 | Utah | $67,370 | $42,000 | 3,101,833 | 225 |
| 17 | Kansas | $67,109 | $43,000 | 2,913,123 | 205 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $64,261 | $42,000 | 1,920,076 | 181 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $69,247 | $43,000 | 12,805,537 | 682 |
| 20 | California | $80,513 | $47,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,426 |
| 21 | Oregon | $65,910 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 303 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $62,322 | $39,000 | 2,984,100 | 153 |
| 23 | Washington | $73,422 | $46,000 | 7,405,743 | 383 |
| 24 | Maryland | $68,497 | $43,000 | 6,052,177 | 407 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $62,255 | $38,000 | 10,273,419 | 648 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $56,002 | $36,000 | 579,315 | 81 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $60,405 | $38,000 | 4,454,189 | 209 |
| 28 | Arizona | $56,324 | $34,000 | 7,016,270 | 444 |
| 29 | Virginia | $61,696 | $38,000 | 8,470,020 | 576 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,860 | $36,000 | 3,930,864 | 198 |
| 31 | Maine | $60,508 | $38,000 | 1,335,907 | 77 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $61,889 | $40,000 | 5,795,483 | 263 |
| 33 | Michigan | $58,462 | $37,000 | 9,962,311 | 433 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $53,704 | $33,000 | 2,088,070 | 139 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $60,792 | $41,000 | 5,576,606 | 344 |
| 36 | Idaho | $53,640 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 115 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $50,982 | $34,000 | 869,666 | 85 |
| 38 | Montana | $50,625 | $33,000 | 1,050,493 | 108 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $45,479 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 100 |
| 40 | Indiana | $54,096 | $34,000 | 6,666,818 | 344 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $50,187 | $31,000 | 6,715,984 | 367 |
| 42 | Colorado | $52,572 | $33,000 | 5,607,154 | 377 |
| 43 | Texas | $51,363 | $31,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,216 |
| 44 | Illinois | $55,407 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 587 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $49,895 | $31,000 | 4,684,333 | 199 |
| 46 | Florida | $48,587 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,033 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $49,084 | $31,000 | 3,004,279 | 151 |
| 48 | Missouri | $51,869 | $33,000 | 6,113,532 | 304 |
| 49 | Alabama | $48,853 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 259 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $50,344 | $31,000 | 5,024,369 | 237 |
| 51 | Georgia | $49,170 | $30,000 | 10,429,379 | 622 |
Highest paying states for water resource specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Water Resource Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $80,503 |
| 2 | Vermont | $81,847 |
| 3 | Alaska | $79,063 |
| 4 | Delaware | $83,243 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $85,063 |
| 6 | New York | $84,580 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $81,921 |
| 8 | Iowa | $70,202 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $83,806 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $84,551 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $84,956 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $65,965 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $84,410 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $66,097 |
| 15 | Ohio | $77,469 |
| 16 | Utah | $67,370 |
| 17 | Kansas | $67,109 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $64,261 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $69,247 |
| 20 | California | $80,513 |
| 21 | Oregon | $65,910 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $62,322 |
| 23 | Washington | $73,422 |
| 24 | Maryland | $68,497 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $62,255 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $56,002 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $60,405 |
| 28 | Arizona | $56,324 |
| 29 | Virginia | $61,696 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $57,860 |
| 31 | Maine | $60,508 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $61,889 |
| 33 | Michigan | $58,462 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $53,704 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $60,792 |
| 36 | Idaho | $53,640 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $50,982 |
| 38 | Montana | $50,625 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $45,479 |
| 40 | Indiana | $54,096 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $50,187 |
| 42 | Colorado | $52,572 |
| 43 | Texas | $51,363 |
| 44 | Illinois | $55,407 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $49,895 |
| 46 | Florida | $48,587 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $49,084 |
| 48 | Missouri | $51,869 |
| 49 | Alabama | $48,853 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $50,344 |
| 51 | Georgia | $49,170 |
Expert opinions on the best states for water resource specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for water resource specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola
Procurement Director, Forsyth County, Georgia
This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.
Water resource specialist best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
Search for water resource specialist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025