Best Cities for Exercise Physiologistss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where exercise physiologistss 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	WashingtonState	1.27	$81,310	$75,778	28%
2	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.24	$84,300	$73,753	31%
3	OregonState	1.17	$71,630	$69,544	27%
4	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.16	$68,560	$68,905	26%
5	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.16	$74,380	$68,998	29%
6	MinnesotaState	1.15	$67,230	$68,602	23%
7	WisconsinState	1.15	$63,210	$68,483	21%
8	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.15	$79,840	$68,532	34%
9	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.13	$64,610	$67,162	29%
10	WyomingState	1.12	$62,070	$66,742	19%
11	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.12	$61,600	$66,379	25%
12	KansasState	1.10	$59,090	$65,656	21%
13	IowaState	1.07	$56,640	$63,498	20%
14	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.06	$62,200	$63,147	33%
15	GeorgiaState	1.05	$58,170	$62,281	29%
16	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.05	$60,360	$62,355	32%
17	ArizonaState	1.04	$62,350	$61,794	29%
18	IllinoisState	1.04	$60,130	$61,735	26%
19	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.03	$55,700	$61,075	26%
20	ColoradoState	1.02	$63,800	$60,531	35%
21	MassachusettsState	1.02	$65,950	$60,783	41%
22	New HampshireState	1.01	$63,590	$59,991	30%
23	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.01	$58,580	$60,267	32%
24	FloridaState	1.00	$60,100	$59,212	34%
25	MichiganState	1.00	$55,080	$59,675	24%
26	MissouriState	1.00	$52,570	$59,334	24%
27	New JerseyState	1.00	$64,680	$59,449	33%
28	TexasState	1.00	$56,780	$59,393	29%
29	West VirginiaState	1.00	$50,270	$59,703	20%
30	IdahoState	0.99	$56,750	$58,808	25%
31	AlabamaState	0.98	$50,820	$58,347	23%
32	ConnecticutState	0.98	$62,510	$58,095	30%
33	LouisianaState	0.98	$52,450	$58,213	24%
34	TennesseeState	0.98	$53,570	$58,546	28%
35	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.98	$61,430	$58,062	33%
36	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.98	$53,480	$58,130	29%
37	KentuckyState	0.97	$51,070	$57,706	23%
38	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.97	$62,680	$57,770	39%
39	DelawareState	0.96	$57,940	$57,366	28%
40	MarylandState	0.96	$62,220	$56,978	32%
41	OhioState	0.96	$51,660	$57,146	24%
42	South DakotaState	0.96	$51,630	$56,861	22%
43	ArkansasState	0.95	$48,850	$56,605	22%
44	CaliforniaState	0.95	$62,440	$56,405	44%
45	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.95	$64,170	$56,537	48%
46	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.95	$63,480	$56,277	38%
47	NevadaState	0.93	$55,240	$55,130	32%
48	North CarolinaState	0.93	$52,450	$55,561	30%
49	OklahomaState	0.93	$49,190	$55,582	24%
50	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.93	$53,250	$55,585	34%
51	IndianaState	0.92	$49,740	$54,961	25%
52	North DakotaState	0.92	$50,430	$54,460	23%
53	Columbus, OHMetro	0.92	$51,230	$54,791	30%
54	New YorkState	0.90	$59,940	$53,280	37%
55	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	0.89	$63,960	$53,211	59%
56	MississippiState	0.85	$43,060	$50,778	25%
57	South CarolinaState	0.85	$46,550	$50,598	32%
58	VirginiaState	0.85	$52,400	$50,628	36%
59	PennsylvaniaState	0.83	$48,040	$49,526	32%
60	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.80	$49,260	$47,594	39%
61	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.77	$42,240	$45,665	33%
62	UtahState	0.74	$43,850	$43,762	41%

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