Career Atlas USA

Best States for Chief Executives

Ranked by the Career Atlas Opportunity Score, not raw pay — a high-paying state with few jobs or a high cost of living can rank below a more balanced one.

  1. 1Nebraska73 / 100
  2. 2Virginia72.9 / 100
  3. 3Iowa72.7 / 100
  4. 4Pennsylvania72 / 100
  5. 5Minnesota68.2 / 100
  6. 6Michigan66 / 100
  7. 7California65.7 / 100
  8. 8Washington64.6 / 100
  9. 9Tennessee64.3 / 100
  10. 10Idaho62.7 / 100
  11. 11South Dakota60.8 / 100
  12. 12Illinois60.1 / 100
  13. 13Maryland59.5 / 100
  14. 14Connecticut58.5 / 100
  15. 15New York55.5 / 100

Also see highest-paying states (ranked by salary alone).