{"h1":"Best cities for professional services pay after cost of living","faq":[{"a":"Austin leads the United States for pay after the cost of living in this industry: its median posted salary buys what $168k buys at average US prices.","q":"Which city ranks first: best cities for professional services pay after cost of living?"},{"a":"25 cities have at least 30 openings with pay posted, so the list has 25 entries.","q":"How many cities are ranked?"},{"a":"The score is the median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) for roles at employers in this industry in a city, divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 20 listings in the industry that post a salary are ranked. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.","q":"How is the ranking calculated?"},{"a":"Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.","q":"How often is it updated?"}],"lead":"Austin leads the United States for pay after the cost of living in this industry: its median posted salary buys what $168k buys at average US prices.","minN":30,"rows":[{"n":46,"bar":1,"key":"TX|austin","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/austin","name":"Austin","rank":1,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$165k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"−2%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"46"}],"value":168195.7186544343,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","Advanced Micro Devices","Cloudflare"],"valueLabel":"$168k"},{"n":62,"bar":0.9195021165087682,"key":"KY|louisville","sub":"KY","href":"/places/kentucky/city/louisville","name":"Louisville","rank":2,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$140k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"−10%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"62"}],"value":154656.3192904656,"change":null,"employers":["BrightSpring Health Services","Norton Healthcare","GE Appliances"],"valueLabel":"$155k"},{"n":54,"bar":0.8453058423570889,"key":"MA|boston","sub":"MA","href":"/places/massachusetts/city/boston","name":"Boston","rank":3,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$154k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+8%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"54"}],"value":142176.8236380425,"change":null,"employers":["Vertex Pharmaceuticals","State Street","Confidential"],"valueLabel":"$142k"},{"n":74,"bar":0.823423829468301,"key":"TX|dallas","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/dallas","name":"Dallas","rank":4,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$143k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+3%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"74"}],"value":138496.3627546072,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","Shield AI","Texas Instruments"],"valueLabel":"$138k"},{"n":24,"bar":0.8219676006245663,"key":"MN|minneapolis","sub":"MN","href":"/places/minnesota/city/minneapolis","name":"Minneapolis","rank":5,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$145k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"24"}],"value":138251.4312977099,"change":null,"employers":["Mortenson","Target ALS Foundation","Ameriprise Certificate"],"valueLabel":"$138k"},{"n":30,"bar":0.8083732057416267,"key":"PA|philadelphia","sub":"PA","href":"/places/pennsylvania/city/philadelphia","name":"Philadelphia","rank":6,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$140k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+3%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"30"}],"value":135964.9122807017,"change":null,"employers":["Confidential","GSK","Children's Hospital of Philadelphia"],"valueLabel":"$136k"},{"n":105,"bar":0.8018345291072564,"key":"GA|atlanta","sub":"GA","href":"/places/georgia/city/atlanta","name":"Atlanta","rank":7,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$135k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+0%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"105"}],"value":134865.1348651349,"change":null,"employers":["Emory University","Oxford College of Emory University","Capgemini Invent"],"valueLabel":"$135k"},{"n":214,"bar":0.8005703755703755,"key":"IL|chicago","sub":"IL","href":"/places/illinois/city/chicago","name":"Chicago","rank":8,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$140k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+4%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"214"}],"value":134652.5096525096,"change":null,"employers":["Publicis Groupe","Northern Trust","Confidential"],"valueLabel":"$135k"},{"n":98,"bar":0.7981354033290653,"key":"CA|los angeles","sub":"CA","href":"/places/california/city/los-angeles","name":"Los Angeles","rank":9,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$153k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+14%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"98"}],"value":134242.9577464789,"change":null,"employers":["K2 Space","Cedars-sinai Medical Center","Apex Space"],"valueLabel":"$134k"},{"n":66,"bar":0.7860690665303556,"key":"CA|san francisco","sub":"CA","href":"/places/california/city/san-francisco","name":"San Francisco","rank":10,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$153k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+16%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"66"}],"value":132213.4515570934,"change":null,"employers":["OpenAI","Anthropic","University Of California San Francisco Foundation"],"valueLabel":"$132k"},{"n":36,"bar":0.7756918419114639,"key":"WA|seattle","sub":"WA","href":"/places/washington/city/seattle","name":"Seattle","rank":11,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$145k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+11%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"36"}],"value":130468.0468046805,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","Blue Origin","Shield AI"],"valueLabel":"$130k"},{"n":28,"bar":0.7736138322884013,"key":"OH|cleveland","sub":"OH","href":"/places/ohio/city/cleveland","name":"Cleveland","rank":12,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$121k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"−7%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"28"}],"value":130118.5344827586,"change":null,"employers":["Flexjet","Sherwin Williams","KeyBank"],"valueLabel":"$130k"},{"n":20,"bar":0.7714337141211481,"key":"PA|pittsburgh","sub":"PA","href":"/places/pennsylvania/city/pittsburgh","name":"Pittsburgh","rank":13,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$123k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"−5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"20"}],"value":129751.8479408659,"change":null,"employers":["PNC Financial Services Group","Highmark Health","UPMC"],"valueLabel":"$130k"},{"n":30,"bar":0.7677763243950294,"key":"NC|charlotte","sub":"NC","href":"/places/north-carolina/city/charlotte","name":"Charlotte","rank":14,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$126k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"−3%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"30"}],"value":129136.690647482,"change":null,"employers":["Truist Financial","Scout Motors","SMBC Americas"],"valueLabel":"$129k"},{"n":31,"bar":0.7660149563023695,"key":"FL|tampa","sub":"FL","href":"/places/florida/city/tampa","name":"Tampa","rank":15,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$130k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"31"}],"value":128840.4360753221,"change":null,"employers":["DTCC","University of South Florida","Tampa Electric"],"valueLabel":"$129k"},{"n":36,"bar":0.7569728209934395,"key":"CA|sacramento","sub":"CA","href":"/places/california/city/sacramento","name":"Sacramento","rank":16,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$136k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+7%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"36"}],"value":127319.587628866,"change":null,"employers":["Sutter Health","California Correctional Health Care Services","Nalu Medical"],"valueLabel":"$127k"},{"n":22,"bar":0.7418391229366839,"key":"CA|irvine","sub":"CA","href":"/places/california/city/irvine","name":"Irvine","rank":17,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$138k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"+11%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"22"}],"value":124774.1644083108,"change":null,"employers":["Anduril Industries","Field AI","Rivian Automotive"],"valueLabel":"$125k"},{"n":31,"bar":0.7281333763927015,"key":"NY|new york","sub":"NY","href":"/places/new-york/city/new-york","name":"New York","rank":18,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$138k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+13%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"31"}],"value":122468.9165186501,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","Publicis Groupe","Morgan Stanley"],"valueLabel":"$122k"},{"n":73,"bar":0.7111069371399951,"key":"DC|washington","sub":"DC","href":"/places/district-of-columbia/city/washington","name":"Washington","rank":19,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$130k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+9%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"73"}],"value":119605.1423324151,"change":null,"employers":["Anduril Industries","CACI International","Shield AI"],"valueLabel":"$120k"},{"n":246,"bar":0.709621152914581,"key":"NY|new york","sub":"NY","href":"/places/new-york/city/new-york","name":"New York","rank":20,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$134k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+13%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"246"}],"value":119355.2397868561,"change":null,"employers":["Amazon","Publicis Groupe","Morgan Stanley"],"valueLabel":"$119k"},{"n":20,"bar":0.7076840499373374,"key":"NC|raleigh","sub":"NC","href":"/places/north-carolina/city/raleigh","name":"Raleigh","rank":21,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$112k"},{"label":"State prices vs US average","value":"−6%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"20"}],"value":119029.427359491,"change":null,"employers":["First Citizens Bank","Dewberry","MaintainX"],"valueLabel":"$119k"},{"n":53,"bar":0.6933788021996906,"key":"CO|denver","sub":"CO","href":"/places/colorado/city/denver","name":"Denver","rank":22,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$123k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+6%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"53"}],"value":116623.3459357278,"change":null,"employers":["True Anomaly","Blue Origin","Amazon"],"valueLabel":"$117k"},{"n":43,"bar":0.68598847501383,"key":"TX|houston","sub":"TX","href":"/places/texas/city/houston","name":"Houston","rank":23,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$114k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"−1%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"43"}],"value":115380.3245436105,"change":null,"employers":["Axiom Space","Trinzic","Fervo Energy"],"valueLabel":"$115k"},{"n":24,"bar":0.6761028515720204,"key":"CA|san diego","sub":"CA","href":"/places/california/city/san-diego","name":"San Diego","rank":24,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$127k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"+12%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"24"}],"value":113717.6050044683,"change":null,"employers":["Qualcomm Inc/De","Qualcomm Technologies","General Atomics"],"valueLabel":"$114k"},{"n":21,"bar":0.6225606853879105,"key":"OH|columbus","sub":"OH","href":"/places/ohio/city/columbus","name":"Columbus","rank":25,"stats":[{"label":"Median posted pay","value":"$100k"},{"label":"Local prices vs US average","value":"−5%"},{"label":"Openings with pay posted","value":"21"}],"value":104712.0418848168,"change":null,"employers":["State of Ohio","Nationwide","Ohio State University-Newark Campus"],"valueLabel":"$105k"}],"slug":"best-cities-for-professional-services-pay-vs-cost-of-living","unit":"openings","scope":{"id":"us","kind":"national","name":"United States"},"title":"Best cities for professional services pay after cost of living","family":"Industry markets","method":["The score is the median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) for roles at employers in this industry in a city, divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100.","Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 20 listings in the industry that post a salary are ranked.","A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score."],"builtAt":"2026-11-03T03:57:58.028Z","edition":"2026-11","measure":"icpay","sources":["NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges","Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states)"],"baseline":{"label":"the typical city in our data","valueLabel":"$133k"},"keyFacts":["#1 Austin, TX: $168k","#2 Louisville, KY: $155k","#3 Boston, MA: $142k","25 cities ranked in the United States","Data as of November 2026"],"placeNoun":"cities","commentary":["The top ten is tightly packed: Austin leads on $168k, and #10 San Francisco is at $132k.","Minneapolis reaches #5 on a sample of 24 openings with pay posted, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.","Chicago is the largest market in the top ten, with 214 openings with pay posted behind its figure.","Cities with fewer than 30 openings with pay posted are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful."],"license":"Free to use and share with a link to https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-professional-services-pay-vs-cost-of-living"}