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Best states for a youth advocate
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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Youth advocate opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for youth advocates, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for youth advocates.In order to help you decide which state is the best for youth advocates, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for youth advocate jobs.
New Jersey is the best state for jobs for youth advocates, and Mississippi is the worst. The most common pay in New Jersey is $52,559, while the median pay in Mississippi is $22,655.We found that New Jersey is the best state for youth advocate jobs, whereas Mississippi is the worst.
10 best states for youth advocates in 2025
1. New Jersey
Total youth advocate jobs: 900 Average annual salary: $52,559 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
2. Maryland
Total youth advocate jobs: 920 Average annual salary: $43,011 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
3. Minnesota
Total youth advocate jobs: 717 Average annual salary: $42,841 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
4. New York
Total youth advocate jobs: 1,849 Average annual salary: $42,208 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.45
5. Illinois
Total youth advocate jobs: 1,155 Average annual salary: $38,928 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
6. Maine
Total youth advocate jobs: 215 Average annual salary: $36,101 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.63
7. Washington
Total youth advocate jobs: 825 Average annual salary: $37,632 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
8. North Dakota
Total youth advocate jobs: 69 Average annual salary: $38,955 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
9. New Hampshire
Total youth advocate jobs: 133 Average annual salary: $38,520 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
10. Nevada
Total youth advocate jobs: 197 Average annual salary: $37,026 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
Youth advocate jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a youth advocate
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a youth advocate
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $52,559 | $42,000 | 9,005,644 | 900 |
| 2 | Maryland | $43,011 | $34,000 | 6,052,177 | 920 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $42,841 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 717 |
| 4 | New York | $42,208 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,849 |
| 5 | Illinois | $38,928 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,155 |
| 6 | Maine | $36,101 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 215 |
| 7 | Washington | $37,632 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 825 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $38,955 | $31,000 | 755,393 | 69 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $38,520 | $32,000 | 1,342,795 | 133 |
| 10 | Nevada | $37,026 | $30,000 | 2,998,039 | 197 |
| 11 | Texas | $38,363 | $31,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,411 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $38,045 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 609 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $33,910 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,518 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $42,544 | $34,000 | 693,972 | 101 |
| 15 | California | $36,092 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,274 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $36,221 | $29,000 | 1,815,857 | 92 |
| 17 | Colorado | $34,182 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 613 |
| 18 | Michigan | $32,244 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 820 |
| 19 | Virginia | $37,243 | $29,000 | 8,470,020 | 631 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $33,608 | $27,000 | 3,588,184 | 372 |
| 21 | Ohio | $32,931 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 785 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $33,126 | $27,000 | 2,088,070 | 184 |
| 23 | Alaska | $31,879 | $28,000 | 739,795 | 158 |
| 24 | Oregon | $33,282 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 365 |
| 25 | Vermont | $34,551 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 50 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $33,491 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 380 |
| 27 | Kansas | $33,398 | $27,000 | 2,913,123 | 190 |
| 28 | Idaho | $32,386 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 142 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $30,741 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,284 |
| 30 | Iowa | $31,859 | $25,000 | 3,145,711 | 286 |
| 31 | Arizona | $30,236 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 697 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $31,086 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 123 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $32,098 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 319 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $30,302 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 87 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $29,149 | $26,000 | 1,427,538 | 124 |
| 36 | Montana | $28,138 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 139 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $30,308 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 383 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $27,825 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 213 |
| 39 | Georgia | $30,089 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 761 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $28,892 | $23,000 | 579,315 | 43 |
| 41 | Delaware | $30,029 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 79 |
| 42 | Indiana | $26,889 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 553 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $25,692 | $21,000 | 3,004,279 | 266 |
| 44 | Utah | $27,667 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 247 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $26,838 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 259 |
| 46 | Missouri | $27,213 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 425 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $26,243 | $21,000 | 4,684,333 | 268 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,265 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 209 |
| 49 | Florida | $23,701 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,492 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $26,268 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 260 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22,655 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 182 |
Highest paying states for youth advocates
| Rank | State | Avg. Youth Advocate Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $52,559 |
| 2 | Maryland | $43,011 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $42,841 |
| 4 | New York | $42,208 |
| 5 | Illinois | $38,928 |
| 6 | Maine | $36,101 |
| 7 | Washington | $37,632 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $38,955 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $38,520 |
| 10 | Nevada | $37,026 |
| 11 | Texas | $38,363 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $38,045 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $33,910 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $42,544 |
| 15 | California | $36,092 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $36,221 |
| 17 | Colorado | $34,182 |
| 18 | Michigan | $32,244 |
| 19 | Virginia | $37,243 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $33,608 |
| 21 | Ohio | $32,931 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $33,126 |
| 23 | Alaska | $31,879 |
| 24 | Oregon | $33,282 |
| 25 | Vermont | $34,551 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $33,491 |
| 27 | Kansas | $33,398 |
| 28 | Idaho | $32,386 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $30,741 |
| 30 | Iowa | $31,859 |
| 31 | Arizona | $30,236 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $31,086 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $32,098 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $30,302 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $29,149 |
| 36 | Montana | $28,138 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $30,308 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $27,825 |
| 39 | Georgia | $30,089 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $28,892 |
| 41 | Delaware | $30,029 |
| 42 | Indiana | $26,889 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $25,692 |
| 44 | Utah | $27,667 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $26,838 |
| 46 | Missouri | $27,213 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $26,243 |
| 48 | Alabama | $27,265 |
| 49 | Florida | $23,701 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $26,268 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22,655 |
Expert opinions on the best states for youth advocates
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for youth advocates to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
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Updated January 8, 2025