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Best states for a youth services specialist
Quoted expert
Dr. Carla Alphonso
- Rank 1 - 10
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for youth services specialists? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for youth services specialist jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.As youth services specialists are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for youth services specialists. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a youth services specialist, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
We figured that the best places for youth services 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 Midwest is best for youth services specialists, and the Northeast is the worst. Pleasant Hill, CA is the best city in the country for youth services specialist jobs, where as District of Columbia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for youth services specialists in 2025
1. District of Columbia
Total youth services specialist jobs: 298 Average annual salary: $48,309 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
2. Iowa
Total youth services specialist jobs: 818 Average annual salary: $37,287 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.55
3. New Mexico
Total youth services specialist jobs: 286 Average annual salary: $39,861 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. Minnesota
Total youth services specialist jobs: 1,370 Average annual salary: $37,042 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
5. New York
Total youth services specialist jobs: 2,180 Average annual salary: $39,772 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
6. Arkansas
Total youth services specialist jobs: 446 Average annual salary: $35,943 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
7. Connecticut
Total youth services specialist jobs: 483 Average annual salary: $39,801 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 1
8. Florida
Total youth services specialist jobs: 2,444 Average annual salary: $36,831 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
9. Virginia
Total youth services specialist jobs: 1,433 Average annual salary: $38,402 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
10. Illinois
Total youth services specialist jobs: 1,694 Average annual salary: $37,459 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
Youth services specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a youth services specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a youth services specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $48,309 | $34,000 | 693,972 | 298 |
| 2 | Iowa | $37,287 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 818 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $39,861 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 286 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $37,042 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,370 |
| 5 | New York | $39,772 | $28,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,180 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $35,943 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 446 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $39,801 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 483 |
| 8 | Florida | $36,831 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,444 |
| 9 | Virginia | $38,402 | $27,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,433 |
| 10 | Illinois | $37,459 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,694 |
| 11 | Washington | $36,766 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,153 |
| 12 | Delaware | $36,442 | $25,000 | 961,939 | 206 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $34,905 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 140 |
| 14 | Maine | $34,598 | $28,000 | 1,335,907 | 212 |
| 15 | California | $42,314 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,680 |
| 16 | Nevada | $35,478 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 299 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $37,362 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 215 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $35,844 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 235 |
| 19 | Texas | $35,622 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,814 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $35,064 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,604 |
| 21 | Colorado | $35,687 | $26,000 | 5,607,154 | 880 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $36,160 | $31,000 | 1,427,538 | 174 |
| 23 | Maryland | $37,113 | $26,000 | 6,052,177 | 903 |
| 24 | Arizona | $33,258 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 997 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $33,671 | $24,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,466 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $34,293 | $26,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,470 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $34,171 | $25,000 | 5,024,369 | 639 |
| 28 | Kansas | $34,341 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 426 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $35,127 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 407 |
| 30 | Oregon | $31,905 | $23,000 | 4,142,776 | 710 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $32,355 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 792 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $33,878 | $24,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,097 |
| 33 | Indiana | $32,172 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 899 |
| 34 | Idaho | $30,338 | $22,000 | 1,716,943 | 271 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $30,927 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 460 |
| 36 | Vermont | $30,356 | $24,000 | 623,657 | 120 |
| 37 | Ohio | $31,817 | $23,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,229 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $28,577 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 403 |
| 39 | Georgia | $32,526 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,381 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $31,438 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 478 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $29,892 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 219 |
| 42 | Alaska | $25,303 | $21,000 | 739,795 | 202 |
| 43 | Alabama | $31,096 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 435 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $29,333 | $22,000 | 1,059,639 | 174 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $29,369 | $22,000 | 579,315 | 82 |
| 46 | Montana | $26,045 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 188 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $26,371 | $20,000 | 869,666 | 157 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $28,856 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 419 |
| 49 | Missouri | $27,773 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 836 |
| 50 | Utah | $24,469 | $18,000 | 3,101,833 | 454 |
| 51 | Michigan | $25,843 | $19,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,040 |
Highest paying states for youth services specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Youth Services Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $48,309 |
| 2 | Iowa | $37,287 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $39,861 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $37,042 |
| 5 | New York | $39,772 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $35,943 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $39,801 |
| 8 | Florida | $36,831 |
| 9 | Virginia | $38,402 |
| 10 | Illinois | $37,459 |
| 11 | Washington | $36,766 |
| 12 | Delaware | $36,442 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $34,905 |
| 14 | Maine | $34,598 |
| 15 | California | $42,314 |
| 16 | Nevada | $35,478 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $37,362 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $35,844 |
| 19 | Texas | $35,622 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $35,064 |
| 21 | Colorado | $35,687 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $36,160 |
| 23 | Maryland | $37,113 |
| 24 | Arizona | $33,258 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $33,671 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $34,293 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $34,171 |
| 28 | Kansas | $34,341 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $35,127 |
| 30 | Oregon | $31,905 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $32,355 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $33,878 |
| 33 | Indiana | $32,172 |
| 34 | Idaho | $30,338 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $30,927 |
| 36 | Vermont | $30,356 |
| 37 | Ohio | $31,817 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $28,577 |
| 39 | Georgia | $32,526 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $31,438 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $29,892 |
| 42 | Alaska | $25,303 |
| 43 | Alabama | $31,096 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $29,333 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $29,369 |
| 46 | Montana | $26,045 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $26,371 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $28,856 |
| 49 | Missouri | $27,773 |
| 50 | Utah | $24,469 |
| 51 | Michigan | $25,843 |
Expert opinions on the best states for youth services specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for youth services specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Carla Alphonso
Professor of Sociology, Presbyterian College
Sociology students can easily find work wherever there are people and wherever there are social problems. In other words, just about anywhere! Again, due to the aging of the babyboom generation, I would recommend areas that have large proportions of elderly including Florida, Maine, and West Virginia. More jobs may be available in urban areas, but there are needs for workers with sociology skills in rural areas, too. More social services and non-profits are located in urban areas and especially in/around state capitals.
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Updated January 8, 2025