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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Credit Counselorss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Credit Counselorss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $71,417/year, better purchasing power than San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont's higher nominal pay of $76,880. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$76,880
#2 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$76,180
#3 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$75,280

Best purchasing power

#1 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$71,417
#2 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$68,176
#3 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$66,499

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed credit counselorss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$76,180
$71,417
#2
$75,280
$68,176
#3
$76,880
$66,499
#4
$66,770
$63,337
#5
$69,730
$62,746
#6
Cleveland
27% rent burden
$57,800
$61,542
#7
Cincinnati
28% rent burden
$58,020
$60,837
#8
$64,220
$60,334
#9
Salt Lake City-Murray
25% rent burden
$60,340
$59,820
#10
$66,290
$59,246
#11
$58,720
$58,974
#12
$56,810
$58,968
#13
Rochester
33% rent burden
$56,480
$58,209
#14
Buffalo-Cheektowaga
29% rent burden
$55,590
$58,003
#15
$55,110
$57,586
#16
$62,290
$57,532
#17
$57,530
$57,496
#18
$53,150
$57,342
#19
Providence-Warwick
36% rent burden
$58,220
$57,207
#20
$64,920
$57,163
#21
Madison
25% rent burden
$55,590
$57,138
#22
$61,810
$56,769
#23
$63,330
$56,263
#24
Milwaukee-Waukesha
30% rent burden
$53,820
$55,519
#25
$51,680
$55,415

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 Credit Counselorss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $76,880 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $64,067 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 credit counselors 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 Credit Counselorss?

Salt Lake City-Murray has one of the lowest rent burdens for Credit Counselorss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,241/month, with a median salary of $60,340.

Where do Credit Counselorss get paid the most in nominal terms?

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays the highest nominal median salary at $76,880/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Credit CounselorssView →How to become a credit counselorsGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →