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Do you want to become a military at United States Army Corps of Engineers, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for militaries that you can check out, before you begin your journey. In fact, our research shows that Alaska is the best state for militaries in America. The best city in America for militaries with the highest pay is Santa Clara, CA.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for militaries. Alaska is the best state for militaries, where the median salary is $78,650.Alaska is the best state, and Anchorage is the city with the highest pay for militaries.
10 best states for militaries in 2024
1. Alaska
Total Military Jobs:
46 Average Annual Salary: $78,650 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $40,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 3.13Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in Alaska
2. Maine
Total Military Jobs:
43 Average Annual Salary: $59,924 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $29,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $121,000 Location Quotient: 1.84Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in Maine
3. Rhode Island
Total Military Jobs:
38 Average Annual Salary: $51,192 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $24,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 1.77Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in Rhode Island
4. Delaware
Total Military Jobs:
38 Average Annual Salary: $50,760 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $24,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.72Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in Delaware
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5. Virginia
Total Military Jobs:
223 Average Annual Salary: $54,118 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $26,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.34Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in Virginia
6. California
Total Military Jobs:
408 Average Annual Salary: $63,316 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $30,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.79Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in California
7. Wisconsin
Total Military Jobs:
94 Average Annual Salary: $55,484 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $29,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 0.96Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in Wisconsin
8. Mississippi
Total Military Jobs:
63 Average Annual Salary: $47,781 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $24,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.69Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in Mississippi
9. New Jersey
Total Military Jobs:
98 Average Annual Salary: $63,833 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $30,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.7Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in New Jersey
10. New York
Total Military Jobs:
151 Average Annual Salary: $63,818 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $30,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 0.67Location Quotient is a measure used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine how concentrated a certain industry is in a single state compared to the nation as a whole. You can read more about how BLS calculates location quotients here
Military Jobs in New York
How Zippia determines the best states to be a military
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated
here.
Detailed list of the best states for a military
| Rank | State | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $78,650 | $40,000 | 739,795 | 46 |
| 2 | Maine | $59,924 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 43 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $51,192 | $24,000 | 1,059,639 | 38 |
| 4 | Delaware | $50,760 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 38 |
| 5 | Virginia | $54,118 | $26,000 | 8,470,020 | 223 |
| 6 | California | $63,316 | $30,000 | 39,536,653 | 408 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $55,484 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 94 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $47,781 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 63 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $63,833 | $30,000 | 9,005,644 | 98 |
| 10 | New York | $63,818 | $30,000 | 19,849,399 | 151 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $48,821 | $28,000 | 755,393 | 26 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $50,752 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 181 |
| 13 | Indiana | $53,629 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 91 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $44,908 | $24,000 | 1,920,076 | 80 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $51,950 | $24,000 | 3,588,184 | 58 |
| 16 | Arizona | $51,158 | $24,000 | 7,016,270 | 89 |
| 17 | Vermont | $45,583 | $22,000 | 623,657 | 30 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,471 | $23,000 | 1,342,795 | 34 |
| 19 | Maryland | $49,283 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 141 |
| 20 | Kansas | $43,398 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 91 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $48,623 | $23,000 | 693,972 | 50 |
| 22 | Illinois | $51,774 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 138 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $50,143 | $23,000 | 6,859,819 | 144 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $43,428 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 38 |
| 25 | Utah | $44,221 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 80 |
| 26 | Iowa | $44,045 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 79 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $46,555 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 153 |
| 28 | Ohio | $43,585 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 181 |
| 29 | Michigan | $45,061 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 108 |
| 30 | Nevada | $43,131 | $20,000 | 2,998,039 | 43 |
| 31 | Idaho | $42,972 | $21,000 | 1,716,943 | 35 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $37,580 | $19,000 | 4,454,189 | 128 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $39,794 | $19,000 | 2,088,070 | 59 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $36,498 | $19,000 | 579,315 | 24 |
| 35 | Washington | $44,398 | $22,000 | 7,405,743 | 102 |
| 36 | Missouri | $38,261 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 146 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $37,914 | $21,000 | 1,427,538 | 58 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $38,000 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 60 |
| 39 | Alabama | $34,926 | $17,000 | 4,874,747 | 124 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $35,171 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 123 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $33,833 | $18,000 | 869,666 | 29 |
| 42 | Montana | $31,664 | $16,000 | 1,050,493 | 42 |
| 43 | Texas | $39,624 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 223 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $38,416 | $21,000 | 5,576,606 | 84 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $34,184 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 53 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $36,394 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 68 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,127 | $18,000 | 20,984,400 | 248 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,212 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 59 |
| 49 | Oregon | $34,037 | $16,000 | 4,142,776 | 72 |
| 50 | Colorado | $32,154 | $16,000 | 5,607,154 | 116 |
| 51 | Georgia | $35,017 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 142 |
Highest paying states for militaries
| Rank | State | Avg. Military Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $78,650 |
| 2 | Maine | $59,924 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $51,192 |
| 4 | Delaware | $50,760 |
| 5 | Virginia | $54,118 |
| 6 | California | $63,316 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $55,484 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $47,781 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $63,833 |
| 10 | New York | $63,818 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $48,821 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $50,752 |
| 13 | Indiana | $53,629 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $44,908 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $51,950 |
| 16 | Arizona | $51,158 |
| 17 | Vermont | $45,583 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $48,471 |
| 19 | Maryland | $49,283 |
| 20 | Kansas | $43,398 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $48,623 |
| 22 | Illinois | $51,774 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $50,143 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $43,428 |
| 25 | Utah | $44,221 |
| 26 | Iowa | $44,045 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $46,555 |
| 28 | Ohio | $43,585 |
| 29 | Michigan | $45,061 |
| 30 | Nevada | $43,131 |
| 31 | Idaho | $42,972 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $37,580 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $39,794 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $36,498 |
| 35 | Washington | $44,398 |
| 36 | Missouri | $38,261 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $37,914 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $38,000 |
| 39 | Alabama | $34,926 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $35,171 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $33,833 |
| 42 | Montana | $31,664 |
| 43 | Texas | $39,624 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $38,416 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $34,184 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $36,394 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,127 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $34,212 |
| 49 | Oregon | $34,037 |
| 50 | Colorado | $32,154 |
| 51 | Georgia | $35,017 |
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Updated July 21, 2023
