Best Cities for Economics Teachers, Postsecondarys

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where economics 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	New HampshireState	1.53	$201,610	$190,198	9%
2	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.24	$174,910	$154,106	18%
3	MassachusettsState	1.22	$164,410	$151,530	16%
4	LouisianaState	1.19	$132,670	$147,248	9%
5	ConnecticutState	1.17	$155,950	$144,935	12%
6	NebraskaState	1.16	$130,980	$143,148	10%
7	District of ColumbiaState	1.14	$161,860	$141,610	16%
8	MichiganState	1.13	$129,400	$140,195	10%
9	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.11	$133,460	$137,872	15%
10	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.11	$155,060	$137,465	15%
11	ArizonaState	1.10	$137,250	$136,026	13%
12	Columbus, OHMetro	1.10	$127,420	$136,278	12%
13	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.10	$164,050	$136,481	23%
14	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.09	$129,360	$134,470	14%
15	OregonState	1.07	$136,450	$132,476	14%
16	MissouriState	1.06	$116,530	$131,524	11%
17	VermontState	1.06	$134,850	$131,561	13%
18	IllinoisState	1.03	$124,850	$128,183	13%
19	UtahState	1.03	$128,370	$128,114	14%
20	GeorgiaState	1.02	$117,600	$125,910	14%
21	MaineState	1.02	$125,960	$126,212	12%
22	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.02	$133,540	$126,219	15%
23	CaliforniaState	1.00	$137,360	$124,083	20%
24	TexasState	1.00	$118,530	$123,985	14%
25	VirginiaState	1.00	$128,790	$124,435	15%
26	MarylandState	0.99	$133,540	$122,289	15%
27	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.99	$127,430	$123,121	15%
28	North CarolinaState	0.98	$114,200	$120,975	14%
29	OklahomaState	0.98	$107,260	$121,198	11%
30	PennsylvaniaState	0.98	$117,970	$121,619	13%
31	KentuckyState	0.97	$106,250	$120,056	11%
32	New MexicoState	0.97	$110,020	$119,587	11%
33	South CarolinaState	0.96	$109,060	$118,543	14%
34	OhioState	0.95	$105,930	$117,179	12%
35	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	0.95	$106,960	$117,281	14%
36	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.95	$137,740	$118,232	20%
37	AlabamaState	0.94	$101,250	$116,246	11%
38	IndianaState	0.94	$105,390	$116,453	12%
39	KansasState	0.93	$103,490	$114,989	12%
40	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.93	$112,370	$115,607	17%
41	TennesseeState	0.92	$104,560	$114,273	14%
42	New YorkState	0.91	$127,500	$113,333	17%
43	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.91	$121,210	$112,440	18%
44	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.90	$102,630	$111,554	15%
45	MinnesotaState	0.89	$108,460	$110,673	14%
46	West VirginiaState	0.87	$91,170	$108,278	11%
47	WisconsinState	0.87	$99,970	$108,310	13%
48	MississippiState	0.84	$88,290	$104,116	12%
49	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.84	$103,430	$103,950	17%
50	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.82	$96,790	$101,033	19%
51	New JerseyState	0.81	$109,880	$100,993	20%
52	IowaState	0.77	$85,090	$95,392	13%
53	ColoradoState	0.76	$98,870	$93,805	22%
54	South DakotaState	0.76	$85,700	$94,383	13%
55	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.74	$104,420	$91,356	25%
56	WashingtonState	0.73	$96,500	$89,935	24%
57	ArkansasState	0.72	$76,610	$88,772	14%
58	FloridaState	0.72	$91,140	$89,793	23%
59	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.68	$91,670	$84,488	27%

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