Best Cities for Physics Teachers, Postsecondarys

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where physics 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	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.48	$172,510	$148,077	16%
2	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.31	$130,310	$130,965	14%
3	CaliforniaState	1.26	$139,420	$125,944	19%
4	MichiganState	1.18	$109,090	$118,191	12%
5	New MexicoState	1.18	$108,850	$118,315	12%
6	IowaState	1.17	$104,270	$116,895	11%
7	West VirginiaState	1.16	$98,320	$116,770	10%
8	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.15	$104,880	$115,000	14%
9	IndianaState	1.13	$102,970	$113,779	12%
10	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.13	$128,640	$113,339	24%
11	MissouriState	1.12	$99,970	$112,833	12%
12	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.12	$108,070	$112,808	17%
13	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.11	$107,410	$110,961	18%
14	IdahoState	1.10	$106,040	$109,886	14%
15	MinnesotaState	1.09	$107,240	$109,429	14%
16	North DakotaState	1.09	$101,700	$109,827	12%
17	GeorgiaState	1.08	$101,580	$108,758	17%
18	KansasState	1.08	$97,140	$107,933	13%
19	Columbus, OHMetro	1.08	$101,060	$108,086	15%
20	DelawareState	1.07	$108,810	$107,733	15%
21	NebraskaState	1.07	$98,460	$107,607	13%
22	OhioState	1.06	$96,310	$106,538	13%
23	ConnecticutState	1.04	$112,410	$104,470	17%
24	MaineState	1.04	$104,270	$104,479	15%
25	OklahomaState	1.03	$91,580	$103,480	13%
26	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.03	$111,460	$103,395	19%
27	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.03	$95,060	$103,326	16%
28	MassachusettsState	1.02	$111,280	$102,562	24%
29	TexasState	1.02	$97,760	$102,259	17%
30	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.02	$99,650	$102,521	19%
31	MarylandState	1.01	$110,980	$101,630	18%
32	MontanaState	1.01	$98,050	$101,712	14%
33	OregonState	1.01	$104,320	$101,282	18%
34	PennsylvaniaState	1.01	$98,370	$101,412	16%
35	VirginiaState	1.01	$104,490	$100,957	18%
36	LouisianaState	1.00	$90,040	$99,933	14%
37	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.00	$103,750	$100,242	18%
38	UtahState	0.99	$99,860	$99,661	18%
39	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.99	$91,620	$99,049	15%
40	IllinoisState	0.97	$94,900	$97,433	17%
41	WisconsinState	0.97	$89,630	$97,107	15%
42	NevadaState	0.96	$96,330	$96,138	18%
43	VermontState	0.96	$98,390	$95,990	17%
44	AlabamaState	0.95	$82,750	$95,006	14%
45	ColoradoState	0.94	$99,280	$94,194	22%
46	South DakotaState	0.94	$86,010	$94,725	13%
47	New HampshireState	0.93	$99,050	$93,443	19%
48	North CarolinaState	0.92	$87,370	$92,553	18%
49	New JerseyState	0.91	$98,920	$90,919	22%
50	New YorkState	0.91	$103,100	$91,644	22%
51	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.91	$87,460	$90,915	21%
52	KentuckyState	0.90	$80,270	$90,701	14%
53	WashingtonState	0.90	$96,930	$90,336	23%
54	South CarolinaState	0.88	$81,210	$88,272	19%
55	TennesseeState	0.88	$80,630	$88,120	19%
56	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.86	$98,060	$85,792	27%
57	MississippiState	0.84	$71,160	$83,915	15%
58	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.84	$95,430	$84,601	25%
59	ArkansasState	0.75	$64,900	$75,203	16%
60	District of ColumbiaState	0.74	$85,190	$74,532	30%
61	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.74	$80,990	$74,645	30%
62	FloridaState	0.73	$74,050	$72,956	28%
63	ArizonaState	0.65	$65,730	$65,144	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).