A new study ranks which states are the best and worst job hiring veterans.  New Jersey is the best and Ohio the worst.

During the Great Recession, the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan Vets hovered between 13%-15%. Thankfully, that number as of December 2019 decreased to 2.8%.

InMyArea.com today released a study on the Best and Worst States for Hiring Veterans using the most recent data from state and federal governments, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau and the Veterans Affairs Administration.

The rankings were determined by analyzing government hiring practices, unemployment rates, median income, veteran business ownership and job training investment per veteran in every state.

Here are key national findings from the study:

• The 10 best states for hiring veterans include: New Jersey, Alaska, Virginia, California, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Dakota, Georgia, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
• The 10 worst states for hiring veterans: Ohio, Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Wyoming, West Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
• Highest average salary is in Virginia ($56,140) and the lowest in Arkansas ($33,584).
• Only six states saw vet unemployment increase in the last five years: North Dakota, Ohio, Idaho, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Vermont
• Four states put vets on the front of the line for civil service jobs: New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.
• Veteran-owned businesses are most prominent in Oklahoma and South Carolina