Best Cities for Microbiologistss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where microbiologistss 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	MassachusettsState	1.28	$122,350	$112,765	22%
2	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.28	$109,320	$112,934	18%
3	GeorgiaState	1.25	$103,070	$110,353	16%
4	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.23	$122,350	$107,797	25%
5	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.17	$123,910	$103,087	30%
6	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.16	$114,800	$101,773	21%
7	MarylandState	1.13	$108,470	$99,332	19%
8	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.12	$101,990	$98,541	19%
9	CaliforniaState	1.11	$108,530	$98,040	25%
10	IllinoisState	1.07	$92,050	$94,507	17%
11	MontanaState	1.03	$87,750	$91,027	15%
12	North CarolinaState	1.03	$85,860	$90,953	18%
13	IowaState	1.02	$79,830	$89,496	14%
14	MissouriState	1.01	$78,590	$88,702	16%
15	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.01	$85,470	$89,217	21%
16	New JerseyState	1.00	$96,020	$88,254	22%
17	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.00	$80,870	$87,902	19%
18	PennsylvaniaState	0.99	$84,650	$87,268	18%
19	IndianaState	0.98	$77,900	$86,077	16%
20	OregonState	0.98	$89,220	$86,621	21%
21	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.98	$100,420	$86,197	27%
22	MichiganState	0.97	$78,680	$85,244	17%
23	MinnesotaState	0.97	$83,400	$85,102	18%
24	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.97	$85,340	$85,769	21%
25	TennesseeState	0.96	$77,630	$84,842	19%
26	Columbus, OHMetro	0.95	$78,030	$83,455	20%
27	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.95	$90,460	$83,915	24%
28	DelawareState	0.93	$82,770	$81,950	20%
29	West VirginiaState	0.93	$68,550	$81,413	15%
30	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	0.92	$73,690	$80,800	20%
31	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.92	$77,620	$80,686	24%
32	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.92	$79,990	$81,208	26%
33	ConnecticutState	0.91	$86,360	$80,260	22%
34	FloridaState	0.91	$80,930	$79,734	26%
35	OhioState	0.91	$72,500	$80,199	17%
36	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.91	$85,120	$80,454	24%
37	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.91	$78,120	$80,370	24%
38	NebraskaState	0.90	$72,470	$79,202	17%
39	KansasState	0.89	$70,500	$78,333	18%
40	ColoradoState	0.88	$81,640	$77,457	27%
41	South DakotaState	0.88	$70,530	$77,676	16%
42	AlabamaState	0.86	$65,690	$75,419	18%
43	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.86	$70,220	$75,668	22%
44	KentuckyState	0.85	$66,500	$75,141	17%
45	New HampshireState	0.85	$79,430	$74,934	24%
46	VirginiaState	0.85	$77,820	$75,188	24%
47	AlaskaState	0.83	$76,320	$73,174	21%
48	MississippiState	0.83	$61,690	$72,748	17%
49	WisconsinState	0.83	$67,100	$72,698	19%
50	New YorkState	0.82	$81,090	$72,080	27%
51	UtahState	0.82	$72,600	$72,455	25%
52	WashingtonState	0.82	$77,690	$72,404	29%
53	South CarolinaState	0.80	$64,740	$70,370	23%
54	ArizonaState	0.79	$69,880	$69,257	26%
55	ArkansasState	0.79	$59,750	$69,235	18%
56	TexasState	0.79	$66,450	$69,508	25%
57	IdahoState	0.78	$65,940	$68,332	22%
58	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.77	$77,690	$67,970	34%
59	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.74	$59,940	$64,800	24%
60	HawaiiState	0.73	$70,970	$64,518	40%
61	NevadaState	0.73	$64,490	$64,361	27%
62	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.70	$66,730	$61,502	37%

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