Colorado Offers America’s Best Job Perks in 2025
New research from iSelect has revealed the U.S. states with the best and worst employee benefits in 2025, ranking all 50 states based on wage fairness, health plan affordability, working hours, and paid time off (PTO) policies.
Colorado Leads the Nation for Happy Workers
Colorado ranks top with a perfect Job Satisfaction Index score of 100, marking it the best state for overall employee satisfaction. Workers in Colorado benefit from relatively low wage disparity (86.19%), balanced weekly hours (38.3), and an above-average PTO score (7/10).
Rhode Island follows closely in second place with a score of 90.2. Maryland ranks third with a score of 89.8, maintaining a strong balance between high wages and manageable weekly hours.
Rounding out the top five are Montana (89.5) and Massachusetts (88.1), both of which boast strong income levels and equitable pay structures.
Top States for Job Satisfaction
| Rank | State | Health Plan Cost (% of Median Income) | Average Weekly Hours Worked | Min Wage hr | Avg. Income | Wage Disparity % | PTO Score (Out of 10) | Job Satisfaction Index |
| 1 | Colorado | 10.7 | 38.3 | 14.81 | $74,167.00 | 86.19% | 7 | 100.0 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 9.6 | 38.9 | 15 | $65,377.00 | 73.20% | 4 | 90.2 |
| 3 | Maryland | 8.7 | 39 | 15 | $70,730.00 | 79.70% | 4 | 89.8 |
| 4 | Montana | 11.3 | 36.3 | 10.55 | $57,719.00 | 97.39% | 6 | 89.5 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 8.4 | 39.5 | 15 | $84,945.00 | 93.53% | 5 | 88.1 |
| 6 | California | 10.5 | 40.2 | 16.5 | $77,339.00 | 76.63% | 5 | 87.4 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 11.3 | 39.4 | 13.5 | $63,321.00 | 78.40% | 5 | 85.2 |
| 8 | Maine | 12.2 | 39.2 | 14.65 | $59,463.00 | 66.28% | 3 | 75.6 |
| 9 | Washington | 7.7 | 39.6 | 16.66 | $75,698.00 | 75.25% | 1 | 74.4 |
| 10 | Illinois | 10.3 | 41.3 | 15 | $68,822.00 | 72.47% | 3 | 73.8 |
| 11 | New York | 10.7 | 40.1 | 16.5 | $78,089.00 | 77.66% | 3 | 72.4 |
| 12 | Hawaii | 9.4 | 38.7 | 14 | $61,175.00 | 73.87% | 1 | 70.6 |
| 13 | Vermont | 10.3 | 37.8 | 14.01 | $63,206.00 | 78.61% | 1 | 66.5 |
| 14 | Minnesota | 9.7 | 39.6 | 11.13 | $68,010.00 | 99.18% | 3 | 65.0 |
| 15 | Ohio | 10.9 | 40.8 | 10.7 | $57,880.00 | 87.31% | 3 | 63.6 |
| 16 | Arizona | 13.6 | 40.6 | 14.7 | $56,667.00 | 58.45% | 2 | 63.5 |
| 17 | Oregon | 10.3 | 37.8 | 14.7 | $62,767.00 | 73.91% | 0 | 62.5 |
| 18 | Connecticut | 8.9 | 39.8 | 16.35 | $84,972.00 | 86.08% | 1 | 62.1 |
| 19 | Alaska | 11.4 | 27.7 | 11.91 | $68,919.00 | 120.28% | 0 | 58.7 |
| 20 | New Mexico | 18.1 | 36.9 | 12 | $51,500.00 | 76.42% | 4 | 57.8 |
| 21 | Michigan | 9.3 | 40.4 | 10.56 | $56,813.00 | 87.67% | 1 | 57.6 |
| 22 | Arkansas | 13.7 | 38.6 | 11 | $51,787.00 | 80.44% | 2 | 55.4 |
| 23 | West Virginia | 12.8 | 40 | 8.75 | $49,169.00 | 91.94% | 3 | 55.0 |
| 24 | Indiana | 10.7 | 40.6 | 7.25 | $57,930.00 | 116.40% | 4 | 54.1 |
| 25 | Virginia | 9.8 | 40.9 | 12.41 | $68,211.00 | 88.40% | 1 | 53.6 |
Southern States Rank Among the Least Satisfied
At the other end of the scale, Mississippi ranks last with a score of 0.0, followed by Texas (3.3), Oklahoma (8.7), and Georgia (9.1).
These states share common challenges:
- Longer average workweeks (41+ hours)
- Higher health plan costs (14–19% of income)
- Minimal or no PTO protections
Florida also appears among the ten least satisfied states, with a score of 22.6, where employees are not legally guaranteed paid time off and employers are not required to pay out unused vacation time.
Bottom States for Job Satisfaction
| Rank | State | Health Plan Cost (% of Median Income) | Average Weekly Hours Worked | Min Wage hr | Avg. Income | Wage Disparity % | PTO Score (Out of 10) | Job Satisfaction Index |
| 1 | Mississippi | 19 | 41.1 | 7.25 | $46,248.00 | 99.62% | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Texas | 14.2 | 43.5 | 7.25 | $61,985.00 | 116.31% | 0 | 3.3 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 15 | 41.5 | 7.25 | $54,998.00 | 111.41% | 0 | 8.7 |
| 4 | Georgia | 14.3 | 42 | 7.25 | $57,129.00 | 113.19% | 0 | 9.1 |
| 5 | Louisiana | 15.6 | 44.3 | 7.25 | $54,622.00 | 106.34% | 3 | 21.8 |
| 6 | Kansas | 11.9 | 39.6 | 7.25 | $60,152.00 | 120.46% | 0 | 21.9 |
| 7 | Florida | 16.4 | 42 | 13 | $63,597.00 | 76.54% | 0 | 22.6 |
| 8 | Alabama | 12.4 | 41.6 | 7.25 | $50,637.00 | 105.41% | 0 | 23.2 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 13 | 40.1 | 7.25 | $58,279.00 | 117.61% | 1 | 24.4 |
| 10 | Kentucky | 13.6 | 40.8 | 7.25 | $52,109.00 | 108.84% | 1 | 25.2 |
| 11 | Iowa | 12.6 | 39.6 | 7.25 | $58,905.00 | 119.12% | 1 | 26.6 |
| 12 | South Carolina | 14 | 38.2 | 7.25 | $53,320.00 | 114.94% | 1 | 27.3 |
| 13 | Idaho | 12 | 39.8 | 7.25 | $54,537.00 | 113.69% | 1 | 31.9 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 9.8 | 41 | 7.25 | $65,167.00 | 123.31% | 1 | 31.9 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 10.8 | 39.4 | 7.25 | $61,210.00 | 121.89% | 1 | 33.2 |
| 16 | North Carolina | 13.9 | 40.9 | 7.25 | $57,416.00 | 115.32% | 3 | 33.4 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 8.6 | 36.9 | 7.25 | $74,663.00 | 137.18% | 0 | 33.6 |
| 18 | Utah | 9.3 | 39.3 | 7.25 | $57,925.00 | 118.53% | 0 | 35.0 |
| 19 | Wyoming | 12.1 | 42.3 | 7.25 | $71,342.00 | 126.92% | 4 | 36.8 |
| 20 | South Dakota | 12.5 | 36.8 | 11.5 | $65,806.00 | 99.76% | 0 | 40.1 |
| 21 | North Dakota | 10.4 | 38.7 | 7.25 | $66,184.00 | 127.75% | 3 | 47.1 |
| 22 | Delaware | 13.1 | 40.8 | 15 | $61,387.00 | 63.43% | 0 | 48.2 |
| 23 | Missouri | 13 | 39.7 | 13.75 | $56,551.00 | 66.32% | 0 | 50.1 |
| 24 | New Jersey | 9.3 | 40.7 | 15.49 | $78,700.00 | 82.37% | 0 | 53.1 |
| 25 | Nevada | 14.4 | 39.7 | 12 | $61,282.00 | 84.85% | 3 | 53.4 |
Andres Gutierrez, General Manager – Health at iSelect says: “When you’re seeking a new job, nobody wants to be stuck in a role without any significant benefits to their work. I would encourage looking for positions that encourage a healthy work-life balance, with reliable job security and trustworthy leadership.
“Finding tailored and affordable health insurance can be crucial if faced with a health issue. It can help you return to work faster and avoid public waiting lists for in-hospital treatment. This can help reduce potential financial and career stress caused by a particular health event.
Not only this but extras cover can also help you to maintain good mental and physical health through services such as physiotherapy and therapy. At iSelect, we can help you compare a range of health insurance funds to find a policy that is best suited to your lifestyle and budget. “
To read more about this study and explore the full rankings, please visit: https://www.iselect.com.au/media-centre/job-satisfaction-hotspots/
Methodology: USA Job Satisfaction
This ranking evaluates job satisfaction across U.S. states, using key indicators that reflect economic fairness, work-life balance, affordability, and paid time off policies. The analysis is based on publicly available data sources, with each metric standardized and equally weighted to produce a final score out of 100.
Key Metrics & Data Sources
- Health Plan Affordability
The percentage of income spent on employer-sponsored health plans was sourced from Statista (link). States where employees spend less of their income on health coverage received higher scores, reflecting greater affordability.
- Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance was assessed using average weekly hours worked, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (link). States with lower average working hours scored higher, indicating better work-life balance.
- Wage Disparity
Wage fairness was evaluated by comparing minimum wage to the state’s average income, using data from NCSL (state minimum wages) and World Population Review (average income by state). The percentage difference between these figures was calculated, with lower disparities resulting in higher scores, indicating a more equitable wage structure.
- PTO Policy Score
Paid time off (PTO) laws were scored using state-level policy data from Paycor (link). The PTO scoring system (out of 10) considered:
- Legal requirements for vacation pay (Max: 3 points)
- Prohibition of use-it-or-lose-it policies (Max: 2 points)
- Mandatory payment of accrued vacation on separation (Max: 3 points)
- Employer penalties for non-payment (Max: 2 points)
- States with stronger worker protections and PTO rights received higher scores.
Final Score Calculation
Each metric was normalized and equally weighted, producing a final state-by-state ranking on a scale of 0 to 100 (where 0 represents the least favourable conditions and 100 represents the most favourable).
