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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicianss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicianss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Medford ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $87,785/year, better purchasing power than Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh's higher nominal pay of $92,740. San Francisco and New York dominate the headline salary lists for most occupations, but they don't crack the COL-adjusted top 10 here. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh$92,740
#2 Medford$89,040
#3 Vallejo$83,140

Best purchasing power

#1 Medford$87,785
#2 Binghamton$86,657
#3 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh$84,756

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed clinical laboratory technologists and technicianss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Medford
21% rent burden
$89,040
$87,785
#2
Binghamton
16% rent burden
$80,470
$86,657
#3
$92,740
$84,756
#4
Buffalo-Cheektowaga
20% rent burden
$78,670
$82,085
#5
Syracuse
21% rent burden
$78,420
$81,909
#6
Utica-Rome
19% rent burden
$75,070
$80,999
#7
Rochester
24% rent burden
$78,360
$80,759
#8
Bend
26% rent burden
$83,110
$80,214
#9
Brunswick-St. Simons
22% rent burden
$69,810
$79,592
#10
Eugene-Springfield
25% rent burden
$80,800
$79,551
#11
$79,200
$79,542
#12
Barnstable Town
37% rent burden
$77,570
$78,871
#13
$78,710
$78,522
#14
Providence-Warwick
26% rent burden
$78,850
$77,479
#15
Manchester-Nashua
31% rent burden
$81,840
$77,456
#16
Saginaw
19% rent burden
$69,940
$76,950
#17
Vallejo
31% rent burden
$83,140
$76,641
#18
$80,670
$75,491
#19
Cheyenne
19% rent burden
$72,680
$75,324
#20
$80,160
$75,148
#21
New Haven
30% rent burden
$77,730
$74,340
#22
$81,900
$74,171
#23
$78,170
$74,151
#24
Flint
18% rent burden
$68,980
$74,148
#25
$75,990
$73,956

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicianss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $92,740 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $77,283 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicianss?

Binghamton has one of the lowest rent burdens for Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicianss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,103/month, with a median salary of $80,470.

Where do Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicianss get paid the most in nominal terms?

Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh pays the highest nominal median salary at $92,740/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Clinical Laboratory Technologists and TechnicianssView →How to become a clinical laboratory technologists and techniciansGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →