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Best states for a youth specialist
Quoted expert
Dr. Carla Alphonso
- Rank 1 - 10
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Do you want to become a youth specialist at Lutheran Services in Iowa, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for youth specialists that you can check out, before you begin your journey. In fact, our research shows that Hawaii is the best state for youth specialists in America. The best city in America for youth specialists with the highest pay is Washington, DC.
In order to get you the best states for youth specialists, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Hawaii is the best state, and Mililani Town is the city with the highest pay for youth specialists.
10 best states for youth specialists in 2026
1. Hawaii
Total youth specialist jobs: 137 Average annual salary: $44,557 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
2. Connecticut
Total youth specialist jobs: 408 Average annual salary: $42,295 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
3. Illinois
Total youth specialist jobs: 1,343 Average annual salary: $38,456 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
4. District of Columbia
Total youth specialist jobs: 175 Average annual salary: $45,779 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
5. Arkansas
Total youth specialist jobs: 326 Average annual salary: $33,853 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
6. Nevada
Total youth specialist jobs: 230 Average annual salary: $36,868 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
7. California
Total youth specialist jobs: 3,248 Average annual salary: $40,853 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
8. New York
Total youth specialist jobs: 1,977 Average annual salary: $34,977 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
9. North Dakota
Total youth specialist jobs: 110 Average annual salary: $33,925 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
10. Pennsylvania
Total youth specialist jobs: 1,498 Average annual salary: $31,941 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
Youth specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a youth specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a youth specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,557 | $38,000 | 1,427,538 | 137 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $42,295 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 408 |
| 3 | Illinois | $38,456 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,343 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $45,779 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 175 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $33,853 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 326 |
| 6 | Nevada | $36,868 | $27,000 | 2,998,039 | 230 |
| 7 | California | $40,853 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,248 |
| 8 | New York | $34,977 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,977 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $33,925 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 110 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $31,941 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,498 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $35,867 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 880 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $33,453 | $25,000 | 4,684,333 | 353 |
| 13 | Texas | $33,461 | $25,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,084 |
| 14 | Arizona | $31,304 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 799 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $35,069 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 492 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $34,791 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 884 |
| 17 | Delaware | $34,407 | $25,000 | 961,939 | 127 |
| 18 | Virginia | $34,961 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 962 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $33,758 | $25,000 | 2,984,100 | 200 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $30,348 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 295 |
| 21 | Maine | $30,700 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 193 |
| 22 | Kansas | $33,402 | $26,000 | 2,913,123 | 274 |
| 23 | Florida | $31,529 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,873 |
| 24 | Maryland | $31,218 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 865 |
| 25 | Idaho | $30,108 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 206 |
| 26 | Colorado | $31,943 | $24,000 | 5,607,154 | 681 |
| 27 | Oregon | $31,587 | $24,000 | 4,142,776 | 467 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $31,213 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 432 |
| 29 | Indiana | $29,765 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 674 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $28,665 | $23,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,154 |
| 31 | Georgia | $31,198 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 989 |
| 32 | Washington | $29,440 | $23,000 | 7,405,743 | 843 |
| 33 | Michigan | $28,699 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 888 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $28,713 | $23,000 | 5,576,606 | 759 |
| 35 | Alaska | $26,632 | $23,000 | 739,795 | 153 |
| 36 | Alabama | $30,068 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 342 |
| 37 | Iowa | $27,853 | $21,000 | 3,145,711 | 420 |
| 38 | Ohio | $28,571 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 976 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $28,611 | $22,000 | 6,715,984 | 524 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | $27,011 | $21,000 | 1,059,639 | 151 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $28,783 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 189 |
| 42 | Montana | $26,356 | $21,000 | 1,050,493 | 151 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $27,792 | $21,000 | 579,315 | 63 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $26,541 | $20,000 | 3,930,864 | 374 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $27,590 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 149 |
| 46 | Missouri | $29,144 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 549 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $27,902 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 350 |
| 48 | Vermont | $28,206 | $23,000 | 623,657 | 66 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $24,910 | $19,000 | 869,666 | 122 |
| 50 | Utah | $25,717 | $19,000 | 3,101,833 | 322 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $25,650 | $21,000 | 1,342,795 | 164 |
Highest paying states for youth specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Youth Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $44,557 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $42,295 |
| 3 | Illinois | $38,456 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $45,779 |
| 5 | Arkansas | $33,853 |
| 6 | Nevada | $36,868 |
| 7 | California | $40,853 |
| 8 | New York | $34,977 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $33,925 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $31,941 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $35,867 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $33,453 |
| 13 | Texas | $33,461 |
| 14 | Arizona | $31,304 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $35,069 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $34,791 |
| 17 | Delaware | $34,407 |
| 18 | Virginia | $34,961 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $33,758 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $30,348 |
| 21 | Maine | $30,700 |
| 22 | Kansas | $33,402 |
| 23 | Florida | $31,529 |
| 24 | Maryland | $31,218 |
| 25 | Idaho | $30,108 |
| 26 | Colorado | $31,943 |
| 27 | Oregon | $31,587 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $31,213 |
| 29 | Indiana | $29,765 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $28,665 |
| 31 | Georgia | $31,198 |
| 32 | Washington | $29,440 |
| 33 | Michigan | $28,699 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $28,713 |
| 35 | Alaska | $26,632 |
| 36 | Alabama | $30,068 |
| 37 | Iowa | $27,853 |
| 38 | Ohio | $28,571 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $28,611 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | $27,011 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $28,783 |
| 42 | Montana | $26,356 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $27,792 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $26,541 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $27,590 |
| 46 | Missouri | $29,144 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $27,902 |
| 48 | Vermont | $28,206 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $24,910 |
| 50 | Utah | $25,717 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $25,650 |
Expert opinions on the best states for youth specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for youth 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