What are the Best States for Product Managers?

What are the best states for Product Managers to work in? Since the PM role is still in demand, you can expect a lot of states and cities that have great opportunities for PMs. Because of the kind of responsibilities the position takes on, it’s even more crucial for a business to hire someone capable to step into this role to ensure the success of products, features, or services.

So which states offer the best opportunities? This is what we’re going to talk about in today’s article. With the help of Zippia, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn searches, we have compiled Product Manager employment data for your review. 

In this article, we outline the best states for Product Managers. We’ve included cities as well based on the following criteria:

• Number of available jobs per tech capita (# of LinkedIn job postings/ # of employees in tech)
• Average annual salary

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita

Let’s start with the total number of Product Manager jobs per tech capita and average annual salary by state:

1. Washington Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 2.53%

Average Annual Salary: $116,243

2. New York Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 2.10% 

Average Annual Salary: $120,290

3. California Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.81% 

Average Annual Salary: $119,042

4. Rhode Island Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.73% 

Average Annual Salary: $108,219

5. Virginia Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.3% 

Average Annual Salary: $116,566

6. New Jersey Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.49%

Average Annual Salary: $111,588

7. Montana Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.79% 

Average Annual Salary: $108,388

8. Pennsylvania Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.53% 

Average Annual Salary: $102,378

9. District of Columbia Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 2.56%

Average Annual Salary: $109,403

10. Colorado Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.59% 

Average Annual Salary: $102,318

11. West Virginia Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.49% 

Average Annual Salary: $113,242

12. Oregon Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.68% 

Average Annual Salary: $98,336

13. Arkansas Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.77% 

Average Annual Salary: $101,133

14. Delaware Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.80% 

Average Annual Salary: $103,359

15. South Dakota Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.48% 

Average Annual Salary: $107,157

16. Georgia Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.87% 

Average Annual Salary: $98,501

17. North Carolina Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.64% 

Average Annual Salary: $99,075

18. Texas Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.40% 

Average Annual Salary: $97,708

19. Connecticut Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.59% 

Average Annual Salary: $98,657

20. Maine Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.26% 

Average Annual Salary: $99,382

21. Vermont Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.63% 

Average Annual Salary: $93,256

22. Minnesota Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.49% 

Average Annual Salary: $96,622

23. Kansas Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.47% 

Average Annual Salary: $95,347

24. Massachusetts Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.77% 

Average Annual Salary: $93,584

25. Michigan Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.02% 

Average Annual Salary: $94,220

26. Maryland Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.09% 

Average Annual Salary: $99,871

27. Illinois Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 2.25% 

Average Annual Salary: $90,965

28. New Hampshire Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.18% 

Average Annual Salary: $88,501

29. Ohio Product Manager Jobs 

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.31% 

Average Annual Salary: $89,840

30. New Mexico Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 0.79% 

Average Annual Salary: $90,018

31. Wisconsin Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.31% 

Average Annual Salary: $86,130

32. Utah Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.43% 

Average Annual Salary: $81,972

33. Nevada Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.70% 

Average Annual Salary: $87,844

34. Arizona Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.51%

Average Annual Salary: $85,115

35. Idaho Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.20% 

Average Annual Salary: $85,501

36. Missouri Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.18% 

Average Annual Salary: $90,720

37. Tennessee Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.64% 

Average Annual Salary: $84,327

38. Oklahoma Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 0.96% 

Average Annual Salary: $86,100

39. Kentucky Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.39% 

Average Annual Salary: $79,699

40. Florida Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.35% 

Average Annual Salary: $71,602

41. Indiana Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.44% 

Average Annual Salary: $76,972

42. Alabama Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 0.98% 

Average Annual Salary: $79,548

43. Iowa Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.61% 

Average Annual Salary: $76,099

44. North Dakota Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.28% 

Average Annual Salary: $70,405

45. South Carolina Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.21% 

Average Annual Salary: $76,132

46. Nebraska Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.39% 

Average Annual Salary: $64,092

47. Wyoming Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 2.65% 

Average Annual Salary: $61,431

48. Louisiana Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.10% 

Average Annual Salary: $65,460

49. Hawaii Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.07% 

Average Annual Salary: $62,075

50. Alaska Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.34% 

Average Annual Salary: $44,249

51. Mississippi Product Manager Jobs

Product Manager Jobs Per Tech Capita: 1.06% 

Average Annual Salary: $58,560

Key Takeaways from the Data Presented

You’re probably wondering what all the above data means to you as a Product Manager candidate. Well, it will depend on a number of factors like your location and salary requirements but there are a few things that you have to take note of:

• Only 5 states have a per tech capita higher than two percent: Washington, New York, Washington, D.C., Illinois, and Wyoming. This means that you might have better luck landing a PM job when you are in or are going to move to the states mentioned.

• A handful of states have a per tech capital lower than one percent: New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Alabama. This means the opposite of the first takeaway from this list.

• A high quantity of jobs or high per tech capita doesn’t necessarily equal a high average annual salary: California, for instance, has an average annual salary of $119,042. But West Virginia — a small state with a small tech population — isn’t far behind at $113,242. 

What Cities Pay the Most?

Product Manager positions are available throughout the United States, ranging from small towns to densely populated cities. However, some cities have a higher annual salary than others, with these 10 leading the way:

• San Francisco, California: $135,483
• Sunnyvale, California: $119,660
• Santa Rosa, California: $115,667
• Cambridge, Massachusetts: $112,162
• Vacaville, California: $110,006
• New York City, New York: $108,781r
• Fairfield, California: $108,673
• San Mateo, California: $108,047
• Dublin, California: $107,947
• Lynn, Massachusetts: $107,107

Note: these salaries are for Product Managers with about two to three years of experience in Product Management. Other positions that require more experience — such as senior PM or head of product — will earn a higher salary.

If you would like to know more about the PM Career Path, you can refer to this article: Product Manager Career Path.

The Best States for Product Managers: Tech Hubs

A tech hub is a community or city that promotes innovation for companies that are technology-based. One of the most popular tech hubs in the United States is Los Angeles (L.A.). The city is known as an incubator for creatives but what many forget is that it’s home to a growing tech community. Its neighbor, Silicone Valley, is the world’s leading hub for technology.

There will definitely be more opportunities for Product Managers in tech hubs. In most cases, companies located in these areas offer a competitive salary and great benefits too.

Other cities/states that are tech hubs include:

• New York
• Seattle
• San Francisco
• San Diego
• Austin, Texas
• Portland
• Boston
• Atlanta
• Pittsburgh
• Chicago
• Miami
• Philadelphia
• Tampa

Remote Product Manager Jobs

What if you don’t live in any of the tech hubs mentioned but would like the opportunity to work as a Product Manager in a tech company? It’s possible and you don’t even have to move to make it happen. While it’s natural for you to search your local area for Product Manager jobs, don’t forget that remote work is more common today than ever before. 

In fact, many companies are only hiring remote Product Managers. To give you an idea, here are some remote PM openings posted on Linkedin upon writing this article:

• Product Manager – Remote
• Product Manager, Web (Remote)
• Digital Product Manager – Remote
• Product Manager
• Product Manager (Remote)

Note: The openings may have already been filled.

This gives you access to a larger number of open positions, as you don’t have to take location into consideration. If you want to know more about remote PM jobs, check out: What You Need to Know About Product Manager (PM) Remote Jobs.

Conclusion

Now that you know the best cities and states for Product Managers, you can adjust your job search accordingly. Just remember that your search should be guided by your personal requirements and career aspirations. 

Because of the pandemic, location is no longer a hindrance for you to getting the Product Manager job of your dreams because there are plenty of companies that offer remote work for PMs.

If you’re ready to start applying for Product Manager openings, make sure that you master your PM interview skills before you do so.

Ace Your Product Manager Interview

At PM Exercises, we have the resources you need to ace your PM interview. Starting with our Product Manager interview prep course, it contains the knowledge you need to master your PM interview skills. You’ll find over 100 video hours plus more than 100 online lessons that will equip and make you feel more confident before your interview

Along with the course, we have compiled over 2,000 Product Manager interview questions with sample answers from our PM community. You can read and understand the PM interview questions and even practice answering some yourself.

Lastly, there’s a feature where users can search for members of the community who are also willing to do a mock interview. You’ll be able to find a partner easily with the different profiles of PMs willing to also find a partner to do a practice interview with.

FAQ

Where do most product managers live?

According to statistics shared by Zippia, the most popular places for product managers are New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA.

What are the best states for Product Managers in terms of salary?

Product Managers are paid the most in San Francisco, California where they have an estimated annual salary of about $135,483.

Can a non-tech person become a product manager?

Yes, definitely. It is not necessary for a PM to know how to code. It’s an optional skill but a PM might need to know how to code if he or she is working in a tech company like Google or is dealing with a highly technical product.