The rankings on these pages are high-level measures of states’ workforce development climates. They do not reflect which states in a region have the most effective workforce training programs or labor boards or tools for connecting job seekers with potential employment opportunities. Rather they recognize states that performed well in a set of measures that can be applied to all 50 states, measures that gauge workforce-related aspects of states’ overall employment climate.
Analysis of variables on the ground, such as programs and resources for job seekers, are still the best way for companies with significant hiring plans to factor workforce development into their site searches. These rankings might serve as a starting point.
The components used to assemble these rankings are: (1) CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business, 2023 Workforce and Education sub-ranking; (2) U.S. News’ 2023 Best States for Education ranking; (3) ACT National Career Readiness Certificates for 2023; (4) the Workforce Preparation and Development component of the Council for Community and Economic Research’s State Economic Development Program Expenditures Database; and (5) whether or not a state has at least one financial incentive program in state policy for work-based learning according to the Education Commission of the States’ September 2023 50-State Comparison analysis.
| Northeast | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 1 | 2 |
| Connecticut | 2 | 3 |
| Vermont | 3 | 4 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | 6 |
| New Hampshire | 5 | 5 |
| New York | 6 | 1 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 | 7 |
| Rhode Island | 8 | 9 |
| Maine | 9 | 8 |
| East North Central | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 1 | 2 |
| Michigan | 2 | 4 |
| Indiana | 3 | 1 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 5 |
| Ohio | 5 | 3 |
| South Atlantic | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 1 | 2 |
| Florida | 2 | 3 |
| Virginia | 3 | 1 |
| Delaware | 4 | 7 |
| Maryland | 5 | 5 |
| Georgia | 6 | 4 |
| West Virginia | 7 | 8 |
| South Carolina | 8 | 6 |
| South Central | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 1 | 2 |
| Alabama | 2 | 1 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 5 |
| Mississippi | 4 | 6 |
| Louisiana | 5 | 3 |
| Texas | 6 | 4 |
| Kentucky | 7 | 8 |
| Oklahoma | 8 | 7 |
| West North Central | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas | 2 | 2 |
| Minnesota | 3 | 4 |
| South Dakota | 4 | 5 |
| Nebraska | 5 | 7 |
| Missouri | 6 | 6 |
| North Dakota | 7 | 3 |
| Mountain | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 1 | 2 |
| Idaho | 2 | 1 |
| Utah | 3 | 5 |
| New Mexico | 4 | 3 |
| Montana | 5 | 7 |
| Wyoming | 6 | 8 |
| Nevada | 7 | 4 |
| Arizona | 8 | 6 |
| Pacific | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| California | 1 | 1 |
| Washington | 2 | 2 |
| Oregon | 3 | 3 |
| Hawaii | 4 | 4 |
| Alaska | 5 | 5 |
