Best states for a youth program director

Q: What is the best state for youth program directors?

The best state to be a youth program director is New York based on youth program director salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for youth program directors?

The highest paying state for youth program directors is Hawaii based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for youth program directors?

The worst state for youth program directors is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Rank 1 - 10
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41 - 51

We decided to bring you a list of the best states for jobs for youth program directors in the United States. Youth program director 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 youth program directors.In order to help you decide which state is the best for youth program directors, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for youth program director jobs.

The median salary for youth program directors in New York is $65,975. Compare that to the median salary in South Carolina of $24,480, which ranked worst for youth program directors, and you can see how your location is important for your career.New York is the best state, and Southampton is the city with the highest pay for youth program directors.

10 best states for youth program directors in 2025

1. New York
Total youth program director jobs: 2,163
Average annual salary: $65,975
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000
Location Quotient:
1.69
Youth program director jobs in New York
2. Connecticut
Total youth program director jobs: 491
Average annual salary: $52,533
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
1.48
Youth program director jobs in Connecticut
3. New Jersey
Total youth program director jobs: 1,007
Average annual salary: $43,702
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
Youth program director jobs in New Jersey
4. New Hampshire
Total youth program director jobs: 223
Average annual salary: $41,041
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
Youth program director jobs in New Hampshire
5. Rhode Island
Total youth program director jobs: 171
Average annual salary: $38,055
Lowest 10 percent earn: $22,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Youth program director jobs in Rhode Island
6. South Dakota
Total youth program director jobs: 294
Average annual salary: $30,870
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Location Quotient:
2.75
Youth program director jobs in South Dakota
7. Massachusetts
Total youth program director jobs: 394
Average annual salary: $45,794
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000
Location Quotient:
0.43
Youth program director jobs in Massachusetts
8. Georgia
Total youth program director jobs: 1,025
Average annual salary: $35,029
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Youth program director jobs in Georgia
9. Colorado
Total youth program director jobs: 803
Average annual salary: $33,622
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Youth program director jobs in Colorado
10. Texas
Total youth program director jobs: 2,214
Average annual salary: $32,889
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.09
Youth program director jobs in Texas

Youth program director jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a youth program director

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

Detailed list of the best states for a youth program director

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New York	$65,975	$39,000	19,849,399	2,163
2	Connecticut	$52,533	$31,000	3,588,184	491
3	New Jersey	$43,702	$26,000	9,005,644	1,007
4	New Hampshire	$41,041	$24,000	1,342,795	223
5	Rhode Island	$38,055	$22,000	1,059,639	171
6	South Dakota	$30,870	$24,000	869,666	294
7	Massachusetts	$45,794	$27,000	6,859,819	394
8	Georgia	$35,029	$27,000	10,429,379	1,025
9	Colorado	$33,622	$27,000	5,607,154	803
10	Texas	$32,889	$26,000	28,304,596	2,214
11	Delaware	$36,748	$22,000	961,939	158
12	California	$43,542	$31,000	39,536,653	1,022
13	Alabama	$29,986	$23,000	4,874,747	886
14	Maryland	$40,721	$26,000	6,052,177	195
15	District of Columbia	$41,147	$26,000	693,972	114
16	Nevada	$32,743	$24,000	2,998,039	190
17	Oklahoma	$29,206	$23,000	3,930,864	659
18	Maine	$35,487	$21,000	1,335,907	142
19	Montana	$30,505	$23,000	1,050,493	178
20	Vermont	$38,672	$23,000	623,657	19
21	North Carolina	$32,253	$23,000	10,273,419	889
22	Pennsylvania	$35,057	$21,000	12,805,537	1,091
23	Idaho	$30,321	$22,000	1,716,943	182
24	North Dakota	$28,718	$22,000	755,393	165
25	Alaska	$32,519	$25,000	739,795	66
26	New Mexico	$29,915	$24,000	2,088,070	204
27	Washington	$33,884	$23,000	7,405,743	209
28	Wyoming	$31,235	$24,000	579,315	17
29	West Virginia	$29,047	$20,000	1,815,857	164
30	Minnesota	$29,221	$22,000	5,576,606	756
31	Virginia	$33,736	$22,000	8,470,020	299
32	Mississippi	$26,580	$21,000	2,984,100	459
33	Florida	$29,492	$22,000	20,984,400	1,445
34	Louisiana	$26,774	$21,000	4,684,333	700
35	Arizona	$27,852	$21,000	7,016,270	779
36	Tennessee	$27,913	$22,000	6,715,984	455
37	Illinois	$28,107	$21,000	12,802,023	1,322
38	Missouri	$29,300	$23,000	6,113,532	425
39	Iowa	$26,288	$20,000	3,145,711	766
40	Kansas	$28,347	$22,000	2,913,123	255
41	Michigan	$27,532	$19,000	9,962,311	777
42	Indiana	$27,832	$21,000	6,666,818	510
43	Oregon	$25,863	$17,000	4,142,776	573
44	Arkansas	$23,798	$19,000	3,004,279	715
45	Kentucky	$27,421	$21,000	4,454,189	305
46	Nebraska	$25,680	$20,000	1,920,076	268
47	Hawaii	$23,357	$20,000	1,427,538	136
48	Utah	$23,868	$18,000	3,101,833	417
49	Wisconsin	$24,304	$18,000	5,795,483	593
50	Ohio	$24,319	$17,000	11,658,609	886
51	South Carolina	$24,480	$18,000	5,024,369	384

Highest paying states for youth program directors

Rank	State	Avg. Youth Program Director Salary
1	New York	$65,975
2	Connecticut	$52,533
3	New Jersey	$43,702
4	New Hampshire	$41,041
5	Rhode Island	$38,055
6	South Dakota	$30,870
7	Massachusetts	$45,794
8	Georgia	$35,029
9	Colorado	$33,622
10	Texas	$32,889
11	Delaware	$36,748
12	California	$43,542
13	Alabama	$29,986
14	Maryland	$40,721
15	District of Columbia	$41,147
16	Nevada	$32,743
17	Oklahoma	$29,206
18	Maine	$35,487
19	Montana	$30,505
20	Vermont	$38,672
21	North Carolina	$32,253
22	Pennsylvania	$35,057
23	Idaho	$30,321
24	North Dakota	$28,718
25	Alaska	$32,519
26	New Mexico	$29,915
27	Washington	$33,884
28	Wyoming	$31,235
29	West Virginia	$29,047
30	Minnesota	$29,221
31	Virginia	$33,736
32	Mississippi	$26,580
33	Florida	$29,492
34	Louisiana	$26,774
35	Arizona	$27,852
36	Tennessee	$27,913
37	Illinois	$28,107
38	Missouri	$29,300
39	Iowa	$26,288
40	Kansas	$28,347
41	Michigan	$27,532
42	Indiana	$27,832
43	Oregon	$25,863
44	Arkansas	$23,798
45	Kentucky	$27,421
46	Nebraska	$25,680
47	Hawaii	$23,357
48	Utah	$23,868
49	Wisconsin	$24,304
50	Ohio	$24,319
51	South Carolina	$24,480

Youth program director best states FAQs

What is the best state for youth program directors?

What is the highest paying state for youth program directors?

What is the worst state for youth program directors?

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Youth Program Director
Best states for Youth Program Directors

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total youth program director jobs:	2,163
Average annual salary:	$65,975
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$39,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$109,000
Location Quotient:	1.69

Best states for a youth program director

10 best states for youth program directors in 2025

1. New York

2. Connecticut

3. New Jersey

4. New Hampshire

5. Rhode Island

6. South Dakota

7. Massachusetts

8. Georgia

9. Colorado

10. Texas