Best Cities for Biological Technicianss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where biological technicianss 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	MississippiState	1.17	$56,930	$67,134	19%
2	North CarolinaState	1.14	$61,720	$65,381	25%
3	IndianaState	1.13	$58,790	$64,961	22%
4	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.13	$62,060	$64,781	29%
5	CaliforniaState	1.12	$71,440	$64,535	38%
6	Columbus, OHMetro	1.11	$59,900	$64,064	26%
7	New JerseyState	1.06	$66,040	$60,699	33%
8	West VirginiaState	1.06	$51,440	$61,093	20%
9	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.06	$72,940	$60,682	52%
10	MaineState	1.05	$60,160	$60,281	26%
11	North DakotaState	1.04	$55,330	$59,752	21%
12	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.02	$60,630	$58,580	32%
13	ConnecticutState	1.01	$62,360	$57,955	30%
14	DelawareState	1.01	$58,550	$57,970	28%
15	IllinoisState	1.00	$55,790	$57,279	28%
16	KansasState	1.00	$51,630	$57,367	24%
17	South CarolinaState	1.00	$53,040	$57,652	28%
18	District of ColumbiaState	0.99	$64,770	$56,667	39%
19	MassachusettsState	0.99	$62,070	$57,207	44%
20	MissouriState	0.99	$50,640	$57,156	25%
21	PennsylvaniaState	0.99	$54,950	$56,649	28%
22	WashingtonState	0.99	$60,800	$56,664	37%
23	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.99	$52,630	$56,713	29%
24	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.99	$66,610	$57,176	41%
25	AlabamaState	0.98	$49,220	$56,510	23%
26	ColoradoState	0.98	$59,400	$56,357	37%
27	GeorgiaState	0.98	$52,420	$56,124	32%
28	OhioState	0.98	$51,080	$56,504	25%
29	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.98	$63,510	$56,303	38%
30	TennesseeState	0.97	$50,840	$55,563	30%
31	WisconsinState	0.97	$51,750	$56,067	25%
32	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.97	$63,770	$55,792	41%
33	KentuckyState	0.96	$48,910	$55,266	24%
34	MichiganState	0.96	$51,070	$55,330	26%
35	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.96	$53,370	$55,134	36%
36	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	0.96	$50,580	$55,461	29%
37	ArkansasState	0.95	$46,930	$54,380	22%
38	New YorkState	0.95	$61,210	$54,409	36%
39	AlaskaState	0.94	$56,470	$54,142	29%
40	IowaState	0.94	$48,050	$53,868	24%
41	New MexicoState	0.94	$49,570	$53,880	25%
42	OklahomaState	0.94	$47,850	$54,068	24%
43	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.94	$61,610	$54,282	50%
44	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.93	$49,430	$53,728	32%
45	ArizonaState	0.92	$53,290	$52,815	34%
46	NebraskaState	0.92	$48,220	$52,699	26%
47	UtahState	0.92	$52,960	$52,854	34%
48	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.92	$57,200	$53,061	38%
49	LouisianaState	0.91	$47,310	$52,508	27%
50	New HampshireState	0.91	$55,540	$52,396	34%
51	TexasState	0.91	$50,130	$52,437	33%
52	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.91	$52,150	$52,412	34%
53	MontanaState	0.90	$49,920	$51,784	27%
54	NevadaState	0.90	$51,680	$51,577	34%
55	VirginiaState	0.90	$53,360	$51,556	35%
56	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.90	$47,810	$51,686	30%
57	OregonState	0.88	$52,190	$50,670	37%
58	VermontState	0.87	$51,190	$49,941	33%
59	WyomingState	0.87	$46,480	$49,978	25%
60	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.87	$52,900	$50,000	38%
61	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.87	$49,180	$49,929	42%
62	MinnesotaState	0.85	$48,130	$49,112	32%
63	MarylandState	0.84	$52,900	$48,443	38%
64	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.84	$52,570	$48,452	47%
65	FloridaState	0.83	$48,700	$47,980	42%
66	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.82	$45,750	$47,068	42%
67	Rhode IslandState	0.79	$45,530	$45,303	40%
68	South DakotaState	0.79	$41,300	$45,485	28%
69	HawaiiState	0.77	$48,770	$44,336	59%
70	IdahoState	0.76	$42,130	$43,658	34%

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