Best Cities for Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondarys

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where mathematical 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	CaliforniaState	1.48	$130,680	$118,049	21%
2	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.41	$131,070	$112,506	21%
3	MichiganState	1.35	$99,330	$107,616	14%
4	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.31	$95,470	$104,682	15%
5	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.29	$123,920	$103,095	30%
6	Columbus, OHMetro	1.27	$94,620	$101,198	16%
7	DelawareState	1.26	$101,510	$100,505	16%
8	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.21	$96,210	$96,693	18%
9	Rhode IslandState	1.19	$95,600	$95,124	19%
10	IowaState	1.13	$80,300	$90,022	14%
11	OhioState	1.13	$81,330	$89,967	15%
12	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.12	$95,070	$89,858	21%
13	LouisianaState	1.11	$79,940	$88,724	16%
14	OregonState	1.11	$91,770	$89,097	21%
15	IndianaState	1.09	$78,780	$87,050	16%
16	MinnesotaState	1.09	$85,570	$87,316	18%
17	WisconsinState	1.09	$80,480	$87,194	16%
18	NebraskaState	1.08	$79,310	$86,678	16%
19	New HampshireState	1.08	$91,670	$86,481	21%
20	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.07	$97,560	$85,354	27%
21	PennsylvaniaState	1.06	$82,170	$84,711	19%
22	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.06	$91,480	$84,861	24%
23	MissouriState	1.05	$74,640	$84,244	17%
24	MontanaState	1.05	$80,610	$83,620	17%
25	South CarolinaState	1.05	$77,580	$84,326	19%
26	North DakotaState	1.04	$76,770	$82,905	15%
27	TennesseeState	1.04	$76,240	$83,322	20%
28	UtahState	1.04	$83,270	$83,104	22%
29	VermontState	1.04	$84,860	$82,790	20%
30	NevadaState	1.03	$82,540	$82,375	21%
31	West VirginiaState	1.03	$69,370	$82,387	14%
32	WyomingState	1.03	$76,910	$82,699	15%
33	MaineState	1.02	$81,130	$81,293	19%
34	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.02	$78,810	$81,923	24%
35	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.02	$75,720	$81,859	19%
36	TexasState	1.01	$76,990	$80,533	22%
37	WashingtonState	1.00	$85,560	$79,739	27%
38	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.00	$82,390	$79,604	23%
39	ConnecticutState	0.99	$85,020	$79,015	22%
40	IllinoisState	0.99	$77,080	$79,138	20%
41	MassachusettsState	0.99	$85,490	$78,793	32%
42	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.99	$77,230	$79,455	25%
43	North CarolinaState	0.98	$73,620	$77,987	21%
44	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.98	$75,540	$78,037	26%
45	ColoradoState	0.97	$81,930	$77,732	27%
46	New YorkState	0.97	$87,230	$77,538	25%
47	AlabamaState	0.95	$65,900	$75,660	17%
48	MarylandState	0.95	$83,360	$76,337	24%
49	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.95	$86,510	$76,220	35%
50	KentuckyState	0.93	$65,820	$74,373	17%
51	New JerseyState	0.93	$80,660	$74,136	27%
52	VirginiaState	0.92	$75,830	$73,266	25%
53	MississippiState	0.91	$61,760	$72,830	17%
54	OklahomaState	0.91	$64,660	$73,062	18%
55	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.91	$81,880	$72,589	29%
56	District of ColumbiaState	0.90	$81,880	$71,636	31%
57	New MexicoState	0.90	$66,550	$72,337	19%
58	GeorgiaState	0.89	$66,440	$71,135	26%
59	KansasState	0.89	$64,330	$71,478	19%
60	South DakotaState	0.89	$64,620	$71,167	18%
61	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.89	$66,160	$71,293	23%
62	ArizonaState	0.88	$71,230	$70,595	25%
63	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.87	$63,980	$69,543	24%
64	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.86	$66,140	$69,040	27%
65	ArkansasState	0.79	$54,340	$62,966	19%
66	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.79	$62,020	$62,964	33%
67	FloridaState	0.75	$60,700	$59,803	34%
68	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.73	$63,150	$58,203	39%

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