Best states for a Process Engineer

Q: What is the best state for process engineers?

The best state to be a process engineer is Arizona based on process engineer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for process engineers?

The highest paying state for process engineers is Wisconsin based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for process engineers?

The worst state for process engineers is South Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted Expert

Jared Wilson

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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for process engineers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for process engineer jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for process engineers. We found that Arizona is the best state in the nation for process engineers, and people in Las Cruces earn the most in the field.

The median salary for process engineers in Arizona is $90,214. Compare that to the median salary in South Dakota of $66,978, which ranked worst for process engineers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for process engineers, and the West is the worst. Rio Rancho, NM is the best city in the country for process engineer jobs, where as Arizona is the best state in the country.

If you're looking for a Process Engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:

10 best states for process engineers in 2025

1. Arizona
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 1,000
Average Annual Salary: $90,214
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $68,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $119,000
Location Quotient:
1.27
Process Engineer Jobs in Arizona
2. California
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 6,810
Average Annual Salary: $99,397
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $74,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $132,000
Location Quotient:
1.73
Process Engineer Jobs in California
3. Washington
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 1,083
Average Annual Salary: $94,746
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $71,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $124,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Process Engineer Jobs in Washington
4. Massachusetts
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 1,817
Average Annual Salary: $90,330
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $62,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $129,000
Location Quotient:
1.47
Process Engineer Jobs in Massachusetts
5. Texas
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 2,338
Average Annual Salary: $88,286
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $66,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $116,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Process Engineer Jobs in Texas
6. Idaho
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 227
Average Annual Salary: $86,019
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $65,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $113,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Process Engineer Jobs in Idaho
7. New Mexico
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 177
Average Annual Salary: $109,409
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $82,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $144,000
Location Quotient:
0.67
Process Engineer Jobs in New Mexico
8. Oregon
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 640
Average Annual Salary: $85,929
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $64,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $113,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Process Engineer Jobs in Oregon
9. Rhode Island
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 126
Average Annual Salary: $87,395
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $62,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $122,000
Location Quotient:
0.77
Process Engineer Jobs in Rhode Island
10. Wyoming
Total Process Engineer Jobs: 54
Average Annual Salary: $85,972
Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $66,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn: $111,000
Location Quotient:
0.67
Process Engineer Jobs in Wyoming

Process Engineer JobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a process engineer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a process engineer

Rank	State	Average Salary	Lowest 10% Earn	Population	Job Count
1	Arizona	$90,214	$68,000	7,016,270	1,000
2	California	$99,397	$74,000	39,536,653	6,810
3	Washington	$94,746	$71,000	7,405,743	1,083
4	Massachusetts	$90,330	$62,000	6,859,819	1,817
5	Texas	$88,286	$66,000	28,304,596	2,338
6	Idaho	$86,019	$65,000	1,716,943	227
7	New Mexico	$109,409	$82,000	2,088,070	177
8	Oregon	$85,929	$64,000	4,142,776	640
9	Rhode Island	$87,395	$62,000	1,059,639	126
10	Wyoming	$85,972	$66,000	579,315	54
11	New Hampshire	$82,929	$55,000	1,342,795	257
12	Louisiana	$87,760	$66,000	4,684,333	170
13	Nevada	$85,083	$63,000	2,998,039	205
14	Michigan	$77,594	$60,000	9,962,311	1,209
15	Utah	$77,931	$59,000	3,101,833	517
16	Delaware	$80,455	$61,000	961,939	192
17	North Dakota	$81,417	$64,000	755,393	90
18	New Jersey	$84,708	$63,000	9,005,644	836
19	Colorado	$80,356	$61,000	5,607,154	846
20	Alabama	$76,421	$58,000	4,874,747	576
21	Minnesota	$75,912	$59,000	5,576,606	1,055
22	Montana	$81,424	$63,000	1,050,493	93
23	Connecticut	$79,864	$58,000	3,588,184	475
24	Maryland	$80,382	$62,000	6,052,177	878
25	Virginia	$79,978	$62,000	8,470,020	1,294
26	Oklahoma	$78,481	$60,000	3,930,864	163
27	New York	$79,502	$59,000	19,849,399	1,456
28	Florida	$75,572	$57,000	20,984,400	1,686
29	Maine	$77,470	$48,000	1,335,907	110
30	Pennsylvania	$73,162	$55,000	12,805,537	1,207
31	North Carolina	$71,189	$55,000	10,273,419	1,404
32	District of Columbia	$72,474	$56,000	693,972	280
33	Illinois	$74,703	$58,000	12,802,023	1,450
34	South Carolina	$73,831	$57,000	5,024,369	454
35	Mississippi	$75,037	$57,000	2,984,100	166
36	Arkansas	$72,919	$56,000	3,004,279	240
37	West Virginia	$73,239	$57,000	1,815,857	98
38	Alaska	$77,094	$64,000	739,795	57
39	Missouri	$73,133	$56,000	6,113,532	614
40	Iowa	$71,217	$55,000	3,145,711	362
41	Indiana	$68,680	$53,000	6,666,818	904
42	Ohio	$68,753	$53,000	11,658,609	1,231
43	Nebraska	$70,781	$55,000	1,920,076	230
44	Vermont	$70,896	$45,000	623,657	77
45	Kansas	$69,967	$54,000	2,913,123	326
46	Hawaii	$75,930	$62,000	1,427,538	56
47	Tennessee	$69,380	$54,000	6,715,984	490
48	Georgia	$70,505	$54,000	10,429,379	1,193
49	Kentucky	$67,119	$52,000	4,454,189	387
50	Wisconsin	$65,076	$50,000	5,795,483	716
51	South Dakota	$66,978	$52,000	869,666	50

Highest paying states for process engineers

Rank	State	Avg. Process Engineer Salary
1	Arizona	$90,214
2	California	$99,397
3	Washington	$94,746
4	Massachusetts	$90,330
5	Texas	$88,286
6	Idaho	$86,019
7	New Mexico	$109,409
8	Oregon	$85,929
9	Rhode Island	$87,395
10	Wyoming	$85,972
11	New Hampshire	$82,929
12	Louisiana	$87,760
13	Nevada	$85,083
14	Michigan	$77,594
15	Utah	$77,931
16	Delaware	$80,455
17	North Dakota	$81,417
18	New Jersey	$84,708
19	Colorado	$80,356
20	Alabama	$76,421
21	Minnesota	$75,912
22	Montana	$81,424
23	Connecticut	$79,864
24	Maryland	$80,382
25	Virginia	$79,978
26	Oklahoma	$78,481
27	New York	$79,502
28	Florida	$75,572
29	Maine	$77,470
30	Pennsylvania	$73,162
31	North Carolina	$71,189
32	District of Columbia	$72,474
33	Illinois	$74,703
34	South Carolina	$73,831
35	Mississippi	$75,037
36	Arkansas	$72,919
37	West Virginia	$73,239
38	Alaska	$77,094
39	Missouri	$73,133
40	Iowa	$71,217
41	Indiana	$68,680
42	Ohio	$68,753
43	Nebraska	$70,781
44	Vermont	$70,896
45	Kansas	$69,967
46	Hawaii	$75,930
47	Tennessee	$69,380
48	Georgia	$70,505
49	Kentucky	$67,119
50	Wisconsin	$65,076
51	South Dakota	$66,978

Expert opinions on the best states for process engineers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Process Engineers to find work opportunities?
J
Jared Wilson
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator, East Tennessee State University
Within the field of land surveying and related employment opportunities, work is available. However, in my experience, work may not be in the exact location a person wishes to live. So, a move may be necessary, or potentially traveling to where the work is located. Should a graduate, or person for that matter, want to work, work is available.

Process Engineer best states FAQs

What is the best state for process engineers?

What is the highest paying state for process engineers?

What is the worst state for process engineers?

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Search for process engineer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total Process Engineer Jobs:	1,000
Average Annual Salary:	$90,214
Lowest 10 Percent Earn:	$68,000
Highest 10 Percent Earn:	$119,000
Location Quotient:	1.27

Best states for a Process Engineer

If you're looking for a Process Engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:

10 best states for process engineers in 2025

1. Arizona

2. California

3. Washington

4. Massachusetts

5. Texas

6. Idaho

7. New Mexico

8. Oregon

9. Rhode Island

10. Wyoming