What a paycheck is really worth, city by city.
Official salary data for 45 occupations across US metros, adjusted for local cost of living so the numbers actually mean something.
Compare your salary across cities →Salaries by occupation
Accountants and Auditors
$83,680
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
$50,620
Carpenters
$60,580
Childcare Workers
$34,980
Civil Engineers
$100,840
Computer Systems Analysts
$105,850
Computer User Support Specialists
$61,860
Customer Service Representatives
$44,770
Data Scientists
$120,230
Electrical Engineers
$120,630
Electricians
$63,190
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
$63,970
Financial Managers
$166,570
Financial and Investment Analysts
$102,740
Firefighters
$59,280
General and Operations Managers
$105,770
Graphic Designers
$62,960
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
$61,010
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
$58,640
Human Resources Specialists
$75,940
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
$36,840
Lawyers
$159,670
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$64,400
Light Truck Drivers
$44,860
Management Analysts
$101,860
Marketing Managers
$166,790
Mechanical Engineers
$104,110
Medical and Health Services Managers
$123,860
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
$99,130
Nurse Practitioners
$132,300
Nursing Assistants
$42,260
Pharmacists
$140,910
Physical Therapists
$102,760
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
$63,800
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$76,210
Public Relations Specialists
$74,750
Registered Nurses
$97,550
Retail Salespersons
$35,410
Roofers
$55,440
Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
$69,990
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
$72,040
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
$47,540
Software Developers
$135,980
Waiters and Waitresses
$35,230
Web Developers
$92,650
Cost of living by metro
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
index 138.8
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
index 156.5
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
index 108.5
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
index 122.4
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
index 108.5
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
index 153.7
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
index 112.2
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
index 126.8
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
index 141.8
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
index 129.1
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
index 153.4
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
index 140.0
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
index 187.6
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
index 91.5
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
index 151.7
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
index 109.2
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
index 123.5
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
index 170.3
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
index 142.1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
index 122.2
St. Louis, MO-IL
index 84.4
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
index 133.5
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
index 111.7
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
index 103.4
Salary figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics medians. Cost of living combines Census median rent, home value, and income (relative rent (Census ACS), US metro median = 100). Updated with BLS OEWS 2025 - Census ACS 2020-2024.