Best Cities for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialistss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialistss 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	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.42	$133,700	$111,231	28%
2	DelawareState	1.26	$99,560	$98,574	16%
3	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.17	$83,170	$91,195	18%
4	New MexicoState	1.16	$83,540	$90,804	15%
5	MassachusettsState	1.13	$95,890	$88,378	28%
6	ColoradoState	1.12	$92,560	$87,818	24%
7	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.12	$99,150	$87,357	31%
8	MichiganState	1.10	$79,480	$86,111	17%
9	Columbus, OHMetro	1.08	$78,870	$84,353	20%
10	MissouriState	1.07	$74,260	$83,815	17%
11	OhioState	1.07	$75,780	$83,827	17%
12	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.07	$97,310	$83,528	28%
13	CaliforniaState	1.06	$91,410	$82,575	30%
14	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.06	$89,040	$82,597	24%
15	IllinoisState	1.04	$79,300	$81,417	20%
16	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.04	$91,660	$81,259	26%
17	MinnesotaState	1.03	$78,770	$80,378	19%
18	OregonState	1.03	$83,320	$80,893	23%
19	WashingtonState	1.03	$86,630	$80,736	26%
20	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.03	$76,960	$80,334	23%
21	Rhode IslandState	1.02	$80,330	$79,930	22%
22	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.02	$79,270	$79,668	22%
23	MontanaState	1.00	$75,290	$78,102	18%
24	New JerseyState	1.00	$85,040	$78,162	25%
25	TexasState	1.00	$74,800	$78,243	22%
26	VirginiaState	1.00	$81,190	$78,444	23%
27	WisconsinState	1.00	$72,130	$78,147	18%
28	ConnecticutState	0.99	$83,100	$77,230	23%
29	MaineState	0.99	$77,400	$77,555	20%
30	TennesseeState	0.98	$69,990	$76,492	22%
31	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.98	$74,860	$77,016	25%
32	AlaskaState	0.97	$79,160	$75,896	21%
33	District of ColumbiaState	0.97	$86,710	$75,862	29%
34	KansasState	0.97	$67,990	$75,544	18%
35	New HampshireState	0.97	$80,810	$76,236	24%
36	North DakotaState	0.97	$70,480	$76,112	17%
37	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.97	$69,470	$75,511	23%
38	IndianaState	0.96	$68,300	$75,470	19%
39	IowaState	0.96	$67,160	$75,291	17%
40	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.96	$85,910	$75,162	31%
41	ArizonaState	0.95	$74,930	$74,262	24%
42	New YorkState	0.95	$83,200	$73,956	27%
43	VermontState	0.95	$76,030	$74,176	22%
44	WyomingState	0.95	$69,090	$74,290	17%
45	NebraskaState	0.94	$67,410	$73,672	19%
46	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.94	$67,990	$73,265	23%
47	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.94	$70,680	$73,472	26%
48	KentuckyState	0.93	$64,690	$73,096	18%
49	MarylandState	0.93	$79,700	$72,985	25%
50	OklahomaState	0.93	$64,260	$72,610	18%
51	PennsylvaniaState	0.93	$70,640	$72,825	22%
52	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.93	$70,390	$72,717	28%
53	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.93	$75,620	$73,063	25%
54	North CarolinaState	0.92	$67,970	$72,002	23%
55	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.92	$76,000	$71,834	27%
56	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.92	$70,940	$72,020	29%
57	ArkansasState	0.91	$61,280	$71,008	17%
58	GeorgiaState	0.91	$66,690	$71,403	25%
59	South DakotaState	0.91	$64,630	$71,178	18%
60	LouisianaState	0.89	$62,700	$69,589	20%
61	South CarolinaState	0.88	$63,450	$68,967	24%
62	AlabamaState	0.85	$57,710	$66,257	20%
63	IdahoState	0.84	$63,680	$65,990	23%
64	FloridaState	0.82	$65,020	$64,059	32%
65	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.82	$69,800	$64,332	35%
66	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.82	$59,460	$64,281	24%
67	MississippiState	0.78	$51,670	$60,932	21%
68	HawaiiState	0.74	$64,090	$58,264	45%
69	West VirginiaState	0.73	$48,080	$57,102	21%
70	UtahState	0.66	$52,090	$51,986	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).