Best Cities for Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondarys

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where biological science teachers, postsecondarys get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	CaliforniaState	1.38	$129,150	$116,667	21%
2	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.38	$106,530	$116,809	14%
3	MichiganState	1.33	$103,620	$112,264	13%
4	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.33	$128,070	$112,837	24%
5	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.31	$107,110	$110,651	18%
6	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.30	$127,800	$109,700	21%
7	New MexicoState	1.27	$98,820	$107,413	13%
8	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.24	$126,380	$105,141	30%
9	MontanaState	1.23	$100,480	$104,232	13%
10	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.22	$102,520	$103,035	17%
11	IllinoisState	1.20	$99,060	$101,704	16%
12	Rhode IslandState	1.20	$102,300	$101,791	18%
13	DelawareState	1.19	$101,380	$100,376	16%
14	MinnesotaState	1.17	$96,880	$98,857	16%
15	North DakotaState	1.16	$90,740	$97,991	13%
16	OregonState	1.16	$100,820	$97,883	19%
17	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.15	$93,960	$97,672	20%
18	MassachusettsState	1.14	$105,050	$96,820	26%
19	New HampshireState	1.14	$102,410	$96,613	19%
20	ColoradoState	1.11	$98,680	$93,624	22%
21	GeorgiaState	1.11	$88,020	$94,240	19%
22	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.11	$100,800	$93,506	21%
23	IndianaState	1.09	$83,130	$91,856	15%
24	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.09	$95,260	$92,039	20%
25	MissouriState	1.08	$80,970	$91,388	15%
26	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.08	$84,600	$91,164	18%
27	KansasState	1.07	$81,300	$90,333	15%
28	WashingtonState	1.07	$97,280	$90,662	23%
29	ArkansasState	1.06	$77,670	$90,000	14%
30	ConnecticutState	1.06	$96,470	$89,656	20%
31	South CarolinaState	1.06	$82,300	$89,457	18%
32	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.06	$102,060	$89,291	26%
33	AlabamaState	1.05	$77,540	$89,024	15%
34	NebraskaState	1.05	$81,190	$88,732	15%
35	PennsylvaniaState	1.05	$85,970	$88,629	18%
36	WyomingState	1.05	$82,930	$89,172	14%
37	LouisianaState	1.04	$79,010	$87,691	16%
38	OhioState	1.04	$79,600	$88,053	16%
39	IowaState	1.03	$78,060	$87,511	15%
40	New YorkState	1.03	$98,180	$87,271	23%
41	TennesseeState	1.02	$78,940	$86,273	19%
42	TexasState	1.02	$82,470	$86,266	20%
43	WisconsinState	1.01	$78,920	$85,504	16%
44	Columbus, OHMetro	1.01	$80,200	$85,775	19%
45	District of ColumbiaState	1.00	$96,830	$84,716	26%
46	IdahoState	1.00	$81,620	$84,580	18%
47	MaineState	1.00	$84,080	$84,248	18%
48	NevadaState	1.00	$85,040	$84,870	20%
49	South DakotaState	1.00	$76,570	$84,328	15%
50	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.00	$82,470	$84,846	23%
51	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.00	$78,360	$84,714	18%
52	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.99	$76,870	$83,554	20%
53	ArizonaState	0.97	$83,030	$82,289	22%
54	North CarolinaState	0.97	$77,700	$82,309	20%
55	UtahState	0.96	$81,580	$81,417	22%
56	VermontState	0.95	$82,230	$80,224	21%
57	KentuckyState	0.94	$70,630	$79,808	16%
58	West VirginiaState	0.94	$67,190	$79,798	15%
59	MississippiState	0.93	$66,830	$78,809	16%
60	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.93	$83,500	$78,922	24%
61	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.92	$74,760	$78,038	24%
62	MarylandState	0.90	$83,500	$76,465	24%
63	VirginiaState	0.90	$79,190	$76,512	24%
64	OklahomaState	0.88	$65,960	$74,531	18%
65	New JerseyState	0.86	$79,540	$73,107	27%
66	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.86	$82,520	$73,156	29%
67	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.68	$56,370	$57,228	37%
68	FloridaState	0.67	$57,140	$56,296	36%
69	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.66	$60,770	$56,009	40%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).