Best states for a wood finisher

Q: What is the best state for wood finishers?

The best state to be a wood finisher is Wisconsin based on wood finisher salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for wood finishers?

The highest paying state for wood finishers is Mississippi based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for wood finishers?

The worst state for wood finishers is Louisiana, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for wood finishers in the United States. Wood finisher positions are available in every state, but not all states are the same. Some states do not offer the same wages, benefits, time off, etc for wood finishers.In order to help you decide which state is the best for wood finishers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for wood finisher jobs.

Wisconsin is the best state for jobs for wood finishers, and Louisiana is the worst. The most common pay in Wisconsin is $44,537, while the median pay in Louisiana is $27,232.We found that the South is best for wood finishers, and the Midwest is the worst. Oshkosh, WI is the best city in the country for wood finisher jobs, where as Wisconsin is the best state in the country.

10 best states for wood finishers in 2026

1. Wisconsin
Total wood finisher jobs: 60
Average annual salary: $44,537
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
4.03
Wood finisher jobs in Wisconsin
2. Wyoming
Total wood finisher jobs: 4
Average annual salary: $42,754
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
2.48
Wood finisher jobs in Wyoming
3. Montana
Total wood finisher jobs: 16
Average annual salary: $42,809
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Location Quotient:
5.14
Wood finisher jobs in Montana
4. Michigan
Total wood finisher jobs: 19
Average annual salary: $43,008
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Wood finisher jobs in Michigan
5. Ohio
Total wood finisher jobs: 60
Average annual salary: $40,813
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
2.18
Wood finisher jobs in Ohio
6. Washington
Total wood finisher jobs: 16
Average annual salary: $45,798
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Wood finisher jobs in Washington
7. Indiana
Total wood finisher jobs: 20
Average annual salary: $41,464
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Wood finisher jobs in Indiana
8. Idaho
Total wood finisher jobs: 3
Average annual salary: $44,203
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
0.68
Wood finisher jobs in Idaho
9. Maine
Total wood finisher jobs: 10
Average annual salary: $41,597
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
2.8
Wood finisher jobs in Maine
10. Iowa
Total wood finisher jobs: 28
Average annual salary: $39,013
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Location Quotient:
2.86
Wood finisher jobs in Iowa

Wood finisher jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a wood finisher

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a wood finisher

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Wisconsin	$44,537	$33,000	5,795,483	60
2	Wyoming	$42,754	$31,000	579,315	4
3	Montana	$42,809	$33,000	1,050,493	16
4	Michigan	$43,008	$31,000	9,962,311	19
5	Ohio	$40,813	$28,000	11,658,609	60
6	Washington	$45,798	$34,000	7,405,743	16
7	Indiana	$41,464	$29,000	6,666,818	20
8	Idaho	$44,203	$33,000	1,716,943	3
9	Maine	$41,597	$32,000	1,335,907	10
10	Iowa	$39,013	$28,000	3,145,711	28
11	South Dakota	$42,323	$31,000	869,666	2
12	West Virginia	$38,680	$26,000	1,815,857	9
13	Minnesota	$39,200	$30,000	5,576,606	48
14	Pennsylvania	$39,483	$27,000	12,805,537	31
15	Hawaii	$48,892	$40,000	1,427,538	0
16	Oregon	$39,787	$29,000	4,142,776	9
17	Illinois	$39,298	$28,000	12,802,023	18
18	New York	$40,969	$28,000	19,849,399	17
19	New Jersey	$40,979	$28,000	9,005,644	2
20	Kentucky	$36,225	$25,000	4,454,189	10
21	Missouri	$36,845	$26,000	6,113,532	15
22	Arizona	$37,684	$25,000	7,016,270	9
23	Kansas	$34,581	$24,000	2,913,123	16
24	North Carolina	$34,824	$24,000	10,273,419	35
25	Virginia	$39,266	$26,000	8,470,020	7
26	North Dakota	$36,599	$28,000	755,393	1
27	Alaska	$38,499	$33,000	739,795	1
28	Tennessee	$33,365	$23,000	6,715,984	22
29	Nebraska	$34,128	$24,000	1,920,076	15
30	Vermont	$35,554	$27,000	623,657	3
31	Colorado	$38,069	$27,000	5,607,154	7
32	California	$38,325	$26,000	39,536,653	28
33	Utah	$33,835	$24,000	3,101,833	13
34	Rhode Island	$36,779	$26,000	1,059,639	0
35	Connecticut	$37,548	$26,000	3,588,184	3
36	Arkansas	$33,060	$23,000	3,004,279	6
37	New Hampshire	$35,822	$27,000	1,342,795	1
38	Texas	$35,079	$23,000	28,304,596	30
39	Delaware	$37,105	$25,000	961,939	0
40	Oklahoma	$33,529	$23,000	3,930,864	8
41	Massachusetts	$36,301	$26,000	6,859,819	12
42	District of Columbia	$35,641	$24,000	693,972	2
43	Nevada	$33,719	$23,000	2,998,039	3
44	Maryland	$36,192	$24,000	6,052,177	3
45	Georgia	$31,453	$22,000	10,429,379	37
46	South Carolina	$31,527	$22,000	5,024,369	11
47	Mississippi	$26,729	$18,000	2,984,100	12
48	Florida	$26,878	$19,000	20,984,400	73
49	Alabama	$28,700	$20,000	4,874,747	10
50	New Mexico	$32,456	$22,000	2,088,070	1
51	Louisiana	$27,232	$18,000	4,684,333	4

Highest paying states for wood finishers

Rank	State	Avg. Wood Finisher Salary
1	Wisconsin	$44,537
2	Wyoming	$42,754
3	Montana	$42,809
4	Michigan	$43,008
5	Ohio	$40,813
6	Washington	$45,798
7	Indiana	$41,464
8	Idaho	$44,203
9	Maine	$41,597
10	Iowa	$39,013
11	South Dakota	$42,323
12	West Virginia	$38,680
13	Minnesota	$39,200
14	Pennsylvania	$39,483
15	Hawaii	$48,892
16	Oregon	$39,787
17	Illinois	$39,298
18	New York	$40,969
19	New Jersey	$40,979
20	Kentucky	$36,225
21	Missouri	$36,845
22	Arizona	$37,684
23	Kansas	$34,581
24	North Carolina	$34,824
25	Virginia	$39,266
26	North Dakota	$36,599
27	Alaska	$38,499
28	Tennessee	$33,365
29	Nebraska	$34,128
30	Vermont	$35,554
31	Colorado	$38,069
32	California	$38,325
33	Utah	$33,835
34	Rhode Island	$36,779
35	Connecticut	$37,548
36	Arkansas	$33,060
37	New Hampshire	$35,822
38	Texas	$35,079
39	Delaware	$37,105
40	Oklahoma	$33,529
41	Massachusetts	$36,301
42	District of Columbia	$35,641
43	Nevada	$33,719
44	Maryland	$36,192
45	Georgia	$31,453
46	South Carolina	$31,527
47	Mississippi	$26,729
48	Florida	$26,878
49	Alabama	$28,700
50	New Mexico	$32,456
51	Louisiana	$27,232

Wood finisher best states FAQs

What is the best state for wood finishers?

What is the highest paying state for wood finishers?

What is the worst state for wood finishers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.

Search for wood finisher jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs

Total wood finisher jobs:	60
Average annual salary:	$44,537
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$33,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$59,000
Location Quotient:	4.03

Best states for a wood finisher

10 best states for wood finishers in 2026

1. Wisconsin

2. Wyoming

3. Montana

4. Michigan

5. Ohio

6. Washington

7. Indiana

8. Idaho

9. Maine

10. Iowa