Career Atlas USA

Best States for Economists

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. 1District of Columbia95.1 / 100
  2. 2Maryland90.7 / 100
  3. 3Virginia84.8 / 100
  4. 4Delaware75 / 100
  5. 5Idaho74 / 100
  6. 6Oregon71 / 100
  7. 7Massachusetts69.8 / 100
  8. 8Minnesota66.7 / 100
  9. 9Missouri65.6 / 100
  10. 10New York65.2 / 100
  11. 11Alaska63.5 / 100
  12. 12New Jersey62.4 / 100
  13. 13Pennsylvania60.1 / 100
  14. 14North Carolina59.5 / 100
  15. 15Washington57.3 / 100

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