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Best states for a youth worker
Quoted expert
Dr. Dorothy Berglund Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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It seems like youth workers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for youth workers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. In order to help you decide which state is the best for youth workers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for youth worker jobs.
The median salary for youth workers in West Virginia is $35,085. Compare that to the median salary in Mississippi of $21,124, which ranked worst for youth workers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for youth workers, and the Northeast is the worst. Freehold, NJ is the best city in the country for youth worker jobs, where as West Virginia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for youth workers in 2026
1. West Virginia
Total youth worker jobs: 228 Average annual salary: $35,085 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.8
2. Connecticut
Total youth worker jobs: 421 Average annual salary: $38,365 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
3. New York
Total youth worker jobs: 1,638 Average annual salary: $36,875 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.54
4. Washington
Total youth worker jobs: 1,001 Average annual salary: $35,357 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
5. Maine
Total youth worker jobs: 52 Average annual salary: $37,007 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.47
6. New Mexico
Total youth worker jobs: 229 Average annual salary: $34,759 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
7. Vermont
Total youth worker jobs: 118 Average annual salary: $33,504 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 1.86
8. New Jersey
Total youth worker jobs: 174 Average annual salary: $38,867 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Location Quotient: 0.26
9. Delaware
Total youth worker jobs: 114 Average annual salary: $35,373 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
10. Illinois
Total youth worker jobs: 350 Average annual salary: $35,925 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 0.35
Youth worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a youth worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a youth worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $35,085 | $28,000 | 1,815,857 | 228 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $38,365 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 421 |
| 3 | New York | $36,875 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,638 |
| 4 | Washington | $35,357 | $29,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,001 |
| 5 | Maine | $37,007 | $30,000 | 1,335,907 | 52 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $34,759 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 229 |
| 7 | Vermont | $33,504 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 118 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $38,867 | $31,000 | 9,005,644 | 174 |
| 9 | Delaware | $35,373 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 114 |
| 10 | Illinois | $35,925 | $29,000 | 12,802,023 | 350 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $37,606 | $30,000 | 1,342,795 | 20 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $35,045 | $28,000 | 6,859,819 | 409 |
| 13 | Ohio | $35,305 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 99 |
| 14 | Oregon | $33,108 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 501 |
| 15 | Idaho | $32,028 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 168 |
| 16 | Kansas | $32,908 | $27,000 | 2,913,123 | 48 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $34,035 | $27,000 | 5,576,606 | 140 |
| 18 | California | $32,676 | $26,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,800 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $29,357 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 147 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $32,990 | $26,000 | 5,795,483 | 54 |
| 21 | Alaska | $32,647 | $29,000 | 739,795 | 71 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $32,328 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 16 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $30,677 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 96 |
| 24 | Iowa | $31,932 | $26,000 | 3,145,711 | 50 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $29,282 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 71 |
| 26 | Colorado | $30,357 | $25,000 | 5,607,154 | 755 |
| 27 | Indiana | $31,492 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 107 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $33,121 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 112 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $30,005 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 489 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $28,451 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 719 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $30,433 | $24,000 | 1,059,639 | 50 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $29,504 | $26,000 | 1,427,538 | 125 |
| 33 | Utah | $28,542 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 408 |
| 34 | Nevada | $30,547 | $24,000 | 2,998,039 | 36 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $28,810 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,026 |
| 36 | Virginia | $29,935 | $23,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,013 |
| 37 | Georgia | $28,157 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,213 |
| 38 | Texas | $28,649 | $23,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,243 |
| 39 | Montana | $29,183 | $24,000 | 1,050,493 | 35 |
| 40 | Maryland | $30,236 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 190 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $26,651 | $21,000 | 1,920,076 | 293 |
| 42 | Missouri | $27,420 | $22,000 | 6,113,532 | 686 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $28,552 | $22,000 | 12,805,537 | 323 |
| 44 | Michigan | $27,957 | $22,000 | 9,962,311 | 220 |
| 45 | Florida | $24,010 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,096 |
| 46 | Alabama | $25,464 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 503 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $24,511 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 394 |
| 48 | Arizona | $25,560 | $20,000 | 7,016,270 | 195 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $25,549 | $20,000 | 4,454,189 | 68 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $23,470 | $19,000 | 3,930,864 | 308 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $21,124 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 31 |
Highest paying states for youth workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Youth Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $35,085 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $38,365 |
| 3 | New York | $36,875 |
| 4 | Washington | $35,357 |
| 5 | Maine | $37,007 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $34,759 |
| 7 | Vermont | $33,504 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $38,867 |
| 9 | Delaware | $35,373 |
| 10 | Illinois | $35,925 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $37,606 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $35,045 |
| 13 | Ohio | $35,305 |
| 14 | Oregon | $33,108 |
| 15 | Idaho | $32,028 |
| 16 | Kansas | $32,908 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $34,035 |
| 18 | California | $32,676 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $29,357 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $32,990 |
| 21 | Alaska | $32,647 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $32,328 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $30,677 |
| 24 | Iowa | $31,932 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $29,282 |
| 26 | Colorado | $30,357 |
| 27 | Indiana | $31,492 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $33,121 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $30,005 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $28,451 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $30,433 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $29,504 |
| 33 | Utah | $28,542 |
| 34 | Nevada | $30,547 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $28,810 |
| 36 | Virginia | $29,935 |
| 37 | Georgia | $28,157 |
| 38 | Texas | $28,649 |
| 39 | Montana | $29,183 |
| 40 | Maryland | $30,236 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $26,651 |
| 42 | Missouri | $27,420 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $28,552 |
| 44 | Michigan | $27,957 |
| 45 | Florida | $24,010 |
| 46 | Alabama | $25,464 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $24,511 |
| 48 | Arizona | $25,560 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $25,549 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $23,470 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $21,124 |
Expert opinions on the best states for youth workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for youth workers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Dorothy Berglund Ph.D.
Professor, Mississippi University for Women
In terms of the job market--I do admit my bias and also realize there might be some confirmation bias here--I do see that people in the human services are everywhere during the pandemic. I have seen people in our broader field (human services) helping to de-densify crowded housing, working with the homeless, working in care homes, helping with the response to emergencies (e.g., working to put individuals and families in emergency shelters in hotels during the pandemic for hurricane Laura). Wherever there is a need, we will need human services. There will be growth, given our aging population, in terms of services for seniors.
Youth worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025