Metro Salary Comparison Tool

Free salary comparison — no login required. Select an occupation and 2 to 3 metro areas to see side-by-side pay ranges, cost-adjusted salaries, and employment data. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics across all 50 states; see our methodology.

Select an Occupation and Two Metro Areas

Choose any occupation from 830+ tracked by the BLS, then pick 2 to 3 metro areas to see how salaries compare — including full percentile ranges and cost-adjusted pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I compare metro salaries?

Select an occupation, then pick two or three metro areas from the dropdowns. The tool shows side-by-side salary percentiles (10th to 90th), cost-adjusted median pay, and employment counts for each area using official BLS data.

Why compare metro areas instead of states?

Metro areas are more meaningful for job seekers because actual pay varies significantly within states. For example, software engineers in San Jose earn far more than those elsewhere in California. Metro-level data gives you city-specific salary intelligence.

What is the cost-adjusted salary?

It is the nominal salary divided by the metro area Regional Price Parity index from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, scaled to the national baseline. This shows how much purchasing power each salary provides after accounting for local cost of living differences.

Last updated: May 2025 (BLS OEWS annual release). Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Cost-of-living data: Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities.