Where to get the best employee benefits across the US

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As graduates look to jump-start their careers this summer, they may want to pay extra attention to where their potential employer is located and what benefits they offer.

Forage, a software company that helps students prepare for the job hunt through simulations, ranked nine U.S. regions based on how many workers have access to benefits like healthcare, retirement and leave, as well as less common benefits like child care assistance, student loan repayment and wellness programs. Each region was scored out of 100 points, with the highest score of 67 points going to the East North Central region, which is home to states like Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. 

While job seekers typically prioritize compensation when searching for roles, Forage's ranking could serve as a reminder not to underestimate the importance of benefits when looking at their total compensation package, explains Jenna Bellassai, lead data reporter at Forage.

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"Job seekers should remember to prioritize benefits offerings alongside compensation as they're considering job offers," she says. "Think about what they need for work-life balance and seek out employers that prioritize that in their benefits offerings."

Notably, less traditional benefits like child care and student loan assistance had low access rates of 11% and 4% respectively nationwide — if those benefits are important to the job seeker, candidates should give offers including them special consideration, no matter their location, notes Bellassai. 

Here are the U.S. regions with the best and worst access to benefits, according to Forage.

East North Central

Score: 67.02
This region includes Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. This area has the highest percentage of workers with access to workplace retirement plans, and is tied for the highest percentage of workers with access to disability insurance.

Read more: Is retirement out of reach? How employers can help workers shore up 401(k)s and savings

Middle Atlantic

Score: 63.27
This region includes New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. While ranked two overall, workers in this area have the highest access to paid leave, including family leave, funeral leave, military leave and personal time off.

South Atlantic

Score: 58.24
This region includes Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. This region boasts high levels of access to wellness programs, as well as flexible work environments.

Mountain

Score: 54.74
This region includes Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Montana, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming. The Mountain region tied with the Middle Atlantic for best access to healthcare, while having the third highest score for life insurance and short-term disability access.

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New England

Score: 54.34
This region includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. New England scored the highest in access to less traditional benefits like financial planning, nonproduction bonuses and flexible work schedules. Although, the region has the second lowest score when it comes to healthcare. 

Pacific

Score: 53.01
This region includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. The Pacific region ranked number one in healthcare access but fell in the bottom three for retirement and leave.

East South Central

Score: 52.47
This region includes Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. East South Central scored poorly across healthcare, life insurance and long-term disability coverage, among other benefits. 

Read more: Are employers picking affordable healthcare benefits?

West North Central

Score: 52.02
This region includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. While the region scored high when it came to life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage, it tied with several other regions for the lowest percentage of workers with access to paid family leave, funeral leave and holiday leave.

West South Central

Score: 44.89
This region includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. West South Central ranked the lowest for retirement benefits, life insurance and long-term disability. 
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