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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Customer Service Representativess by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Customer Service Representativess the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $55,090/year, better purchasing power than San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara's higher nominal pay of $60,830. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$60,830
#2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$56,400
#3 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue$51,090

Best purchasing power

#1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$55,090
#2 Midland$54,319
#3 Elkhart-Goshen$52,806

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed customer service representativess excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$60,830
$55,090
#2
Midland
29% rent burden
$49,930
$54,319
#3
Elkhart-Goshen
30% rent burden
$47,700
$52,806
#4
$48,240
$52,606
#5
Rochester
36% rent burden
$47,540
$52,345
#6
Dubuque
28% rent burden
$45,480
$52,078
#7
St. Cloud
32% rent burden
$45,460
$51,877
#8
Fond du Lac
30% rent burden
$47,020
$51,309
#9
Mankato
31% rent burden
$45,950
$50,522
#10
Cedar Rapids
26% rent burden
$44,650
$50,191
#11
Bismarck
31% rent burden
$45,650
$50,154
#12
Duluth
33% rent burden
$44,420
$50,039
#13
Green Bay
30% rent burden
$46,290
$49,726
#14
Lewiston-Auburn
41% rent burden
$46,930
$49,536
#15
Wausau
30% rent burden
$45,880
$49,520
#16
Yakima
35% rent burden
$47,100
$49,294
#17
Sheboygan
29% rent burden
$46,160
$49,101
#18
$56,400
$48,785
#19
Milwaukee-Waukesha
34% rent burden
$47,180
$48,669
#20
$44,890
$48,430
#21
Janesville-Beloit
33% rent burden
$45,240
$48,282
#22
Eau Claire
32% rent burden
$44,740
$48,211
#23
Columbus
38% rent burden
$45,760
$47,931
#24
Utica-Rome
32% rent burden
$44,420
$47,928
#25
Buffalo-Cheektowaga
35% rent burden
$45,770
$47,757

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 Customer Service Representativess?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $60,830 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $50,692 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 customer service representatives 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 Customer Service Representativess?

Cedar Rapids has one of the lowest rent burdens for Customer Service Representativess in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $956/month, with a median salary of $44,650.

Where do Customer Service Representativess get paid the most in nominal terms?

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays the highest nominal median salary at $60,830/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Customer Service RepresentativessView →How to become a customer service representativesGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →