Data Reveals The US States Where Workers Workers Want A Promotion The Most (And The Least)
Key Findings:
Study reveals which U.S states are most and least interested in career promotions, based on search behavior and economic factors
Georgia leads the nation in promotion-seeking, nearly 60% higher than New York, which surprisingly shows the lowest interest
Hiring expert explains that these regional differences don't reflect varying ambition levels but rather show how different parts of America are redefining career success
One thing on the minds of many American workers is career growth. Practically no one wants to stay stuck in one position for too long. But while some plan on climbing the career ladder by getting promoted at their jobs, others may turn down opportunities to get promoted for personal reasons.
“Looking at how Americans think about career progression tells us a lot about what people value nowadays,” says David Garcia, co-founder and CEO of ScoutLogic, a bulk background check service in the United States. “Some may want a promotion for reasons like work culture, job market stability, and cost of living, while others may not want a promotion for similar reasons.”
To understand these patterns better, the ScoutLogic team conducted a comprehensive analysis to rank career ambition across America.
The Study
They developed a Promotion Interest Score for each state based on three key factors: online search behavior for promotion-related topics from Google search tools (weighted at 50% of the total score), local employment rates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (25%), and state cost of living data from World Population Review (25%).
By combining these data sources, they calculated scores that reveal surprising patterns about where career ambition flourishes most in America.
Table 1: Top 10 US States Where People Want A Promotion The Most
Rank | State | Promotion Interest Score |
1 | Georgia | 74.53 |
2 | Nevada | 72.43 |
3 | Utah | 66.95 |
4 | Vermont | 66.25 |
5 | Massachusetts | 63.03 |
6 | West Virginia | 62.38 |
7 | Montana | 61.64 |
8 | South Dakota | 61.28 |
9 | California | 59.60 |
10 | Hawaii | 59.49 |
Looking at the numbers in detail, Georgia stands at the front of the pack with a Promotion Interest Score of 74.53, with Nevada close behind at 72.43 and Utah following at 66.95.
In Georgia (74.53), the strong interest in promotions at work seems to be tied to the state's growing business scene, especially around Atlanta. Garcia notes, “As big companies keep moving in and expanding their offices, workers are seeing more chances to move up, particularly in fields like tech, movie production, and shipping that are all growing quickly in the state.”
Nevada's high score of 72.43 suggests the state is changing from just being about tourism to having many different types of jobs. While casino and hotel workers still have clear paths to move up, new tech companies and factories moving to the state are creating fresh opportunities for workers to advance their careers.
Utah's third-place score of 66.95 points to its healthy job market, especially in its fast-growing tech area known as the ‘Silicon Slopes.’ “As more tech companies and new businesses open their doors in Utah, workers are finding more chances to climb the career ladder, which could be why many are actively looking for promotions,” says Garcia.
The next part of the study focused on states where people want a promotion the least.
Table 2: Top 10 US States Where People Want A Promotion The Least
Rank | State | Promotion Interest Score |
1 | New York | 47.54 |
2 | Washington | 48.22 |
3 | Nebraska | 48.85 |
4 | Maryland | 49.73 |
5 | Kentucky | 49.91 |
6 | Connecticut | 49.98 |
7 | Texas | 50.16 |
8 | Florida | 50.17 |
9 | New Jersey | 50.29 |
10 | Minnesota | 50.50 |
The second table reveals some surprising patterns. The state of dreamers and go-getters, New York, has the lowest interest in promotions with a score of 47.54, while Washington follows at 48.22 and Nebraska comes in third-lowest at 48.85.
These numbers tell an interesting story about how people in these states think about moving ahead in their careers.
In New York (47.54), the low interest in traditional promotions might be because workers are finding different ways to succeed. Commenting on this, Garcia says, “Many in New York are starting their own businesses or working for themselves as freelancers, especially in big cities where there are lots of opportunities to work independently.”
Workers in Washington (48.22) seem to be following a similar path. “With many new companies starting up there, especially in tech, people might care more about learning new skills or joining growing companies where they can grow in different ways rather than just moving up the usual career ladder,” Garcia explains.
In Nebraska, the low score of 48.85 suggests people might have different ideas about what makes a satisfying career. Many people work in small or family-owned businesses, where doing good work and becoming really skilled at their job might matter more than getting regular promotions.
Garcia notes: “What we're seeing in these states challenges traditional views about career success. The lower interest in promotions doesn't necessarily mean people are less ambitious; it suggests they're redefining what professional growth looks like.”
David Garcia, co-founder and CEO of ScoutLogic commented:
“This study reveals notable regional differences in how Americans approach career advancement. While states like Georgia and Nevada show strong traditional ambition with high interest in promotions, places like New York and Washington tell a different story. These contrasts don't necessarily indicate varying levels of career motivation; rather, they highlight how different regions are adapting to changes in the modern workplace.
“Some areas maintain a more traditional path to success through corporate advancement, while others may be embracing alternative routes like entrepreneurship or specialized skill development. What's particularly interesting is how these patterns often challenge our assumptions about which states would be most focused on climbing the corporate ladder.”
“As employers and hiring managers, understanding these regional differences in career motivation helps us better adapt to evolving work preferences and create more suitable advancement opportunities for each worker.”
About ScoutLogic: ScoutLogic is a bulk background check service in the United States. ScoutLogic primarily works with recruiters and HR teams to conduct bulk background screening at a large scale (think hospitals, banking, universities, etc.; see https://www.scoutlogicscreening.com/industries/ for more info). ScoutLogic provides a full suite of background checks, including criminal background investigations, education/employment verification and reference checking, and drug testing, to perform FCRA-compliant background checks. See https://www.scoutlogicscreening.com/services/search-types/ for more info.
More info available here: https://www.scoutlogicscreening.com/about-us/
Methodology: The Promotion Interest Score for each state was calculated using three factors: Search interest per capita (50% of total score): Data was collected using Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner, and Ahrefs for promotion-related search terms. This was divided by state population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau (https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html). Employment rate (25% of total score): Data was sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm) to reflect workforce competitiveness. Cost of living index (25% of total score): Data was taken from World Population Review (https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/cost-of-living-index-by-state) to account for financial motivations.
Other sources: Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs; Full dataset available on request.
