Best Cities for Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondarys

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where computer 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	UtahState	1.28	$124,460	$124,212	14%
2	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.24	$109,630	$120,208	13%
3	MassachusettsState	1.22	$128,030	$118,000	21%
4	MichiganState	1.20	$107,690	$116,674	12%
5	CaliforniaState	1.19	$128,210	$115,818	21%
6	IndianaState	1.17	$102,660	$113,436	12%
7	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.15	$107,780	$111,343	18%
8	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.13	$105,640	$109,813	18%
9	AlabamaState	1.10	$92,640	$106,361	12%
10	NevadaState	1.10	$106,640	$106,427	16%
11	Columbus, OHMetro	1.10	$99,820	$106,759	16%
12	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.10	$98,960	$106,984	14%
13	WisconsinState	1.09	$97,730	$105,883	13%
14	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.09	$119,810	$105,559	26%
15	GeorgiaState	1.08	$98,030	$104,957	17%
16	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.08	$125,720	$104,592	30%
17	OregonState	1.07	$107,310	$104,184	18%
18	MissouriState	1.06	$90,770	$102,449	14%
19	NebraskaState	1.06	$94,360	$103,126	13%
20	VirginiaState	1.06	$106,780	$103,169	18%
21	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.06	$99,670	$102,541	19%
22	IllinoisState	1.05	$98,750	$101,386	16%
23	TexasState	1.05	$97,480	$101,967	17%
24	DelawareState	1.04	$102,080	$101,069	16%
25	OhioState	1.04	$91,230	$100,918	14%
26	PennsylvaniaState	1.04	$97,500	$100,515	16%
27	IowaState	1.03	$89,510	$100,348	13%
28	MaineState	1.03	$99,730	$99,930	16%
29	Rhode IslandState	1.03	$100,790	$100,289	18%
30	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.03	$107,310	$99,545	20%
31	ConnecticutState	1.02	$106,290	$98,783	18%
32	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.98	$100,660	$95,142	20%
33	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.98	$98,370	$95,043	19%
34	KentuckyState	0.97	$83,470	$94,316	14%
35	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.97	$109,930	$94,361	25%
36	VermontState	0.95	$94,930	$92,615	18%
37	MarylandState	0.93	$98,850	$90,522	20%
38	MississippiState	0.92	$75,520	$89,057	14%
39	TennesseeState	0.92	$81,600	$89,180	18%
40	District of ColumbiaState	0.91	$101,380	$88,696	25%
41	North DakotaState	0.91	$81,400	$87,905	14%
42	MinnesotaState	0.90	$85,710	$87,459	18%
43	West VirginiaState	0.90	$73,880	$87,743	14%
44	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.90	$97,940	$86,826	24%
45	LouisianaState	0.89	$77,530	$86,049	16%
46	New MexicoState	0.89	$79,440	$86,348	16%
47	OklahomaState	0.89	$76,570	$86,520	15%
48	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.89	$85,820	$86,251	21%
49	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.89	$99,110	$86,710	27%
50	New YorkState	0.88	$96,450	$85,733	23%
51	South CarolinaState	0.88	$78,240	$85,043	19%
52	MontanaState	0.87	$81,560	$84,606	17%
53	North CarolinaState	0.87	$80,080	$84,831	19%
54	WashingtonState	0.87	$90,950	$84,762	25%
55	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.87	$78,000	$84,052	20%
56	ArizonaState	0.86	$84,050	$83,300	21%
57	South DakotaState	0.86	$75,540	$83,194	15%
58	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.86	$76,950	$83,641	20%
59	New HampshireState	0.81	$83,630	$78,896	23%
60	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.80	$74,470	$77,735	24%
61	ColoradoState	0.79	$80,530	$76,404	28%
62	FloridaState	0.78	$76,950	$75,813	27%
63	KansasState	0.77	$67,400	$74,889	18%
64	New JerseyState	0.77	$81,500	$74,908	26%
65	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.76	$79,920	$73,659	31%
66	WyomingState	0.71	$63,900	$68,710	18%
67	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.69	$65,600	$66,599	31%
68	ArkansasState	0.67	$56,180	$65,098	19%

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