Skip to content
AffordMap
COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Residential Advisorss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Residential Advisorss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Barnstable Town ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $60,132/year, better purchasing power than Barnstable Town's higher nominal pay of $59,140. 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 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Barnstable Town$59,140
#2 Durham-Chapel Hill$56,170
#3 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$55,800

Best purchasing power

#1 Barnstable Town$60,132
#2 Springfield$59,528
#3 Durham-Chapel Hill$57,569

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed residential advisorss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Barnstable Town
49% rent burden
$59,140
$60,132
#2
Springfield
25% rent burden
$52,730
$59,528
#3
Durham-Chapel Hill
37% rent burden
$56,170
$57,569
#4
Fargo
26% rent burden
$50,820
$55,926
#5
Rochester
34% rent burden
$50,060
$55,120
#6
St. Cloud
30% rent burden
$48,110
$54,901
#7
Duluth
31% rent burden
$48,180
$54,275
#8
Syracuse
32% rent burden
$51,670
$53,969
#9
Wichita
28% rent burden
$47,770
$53,704
#10
Pittsfield
41% rent burden
$50,120
$52,697
#11
Mankato
30% rent burden
$46,720
$51,369
#12
$55,800
$50,534
#13
$52,410
$50,000
#14
Springfield
43% rent burden
$47,860
$49,823
#15
$48,890
$49,101
#16
$54,310
$48,871
#17
Providence-Warwick
42% rent burden
$48,850
$48,000
#18
$49,090
$47,776
#19
$48,140
$47,261
#20
Vallejo
51% rent burden
$51,170
$47,170
#21
$54,510
$47,150
#22
$47,200
$47,087
#23
Spokane-Spokane Valley
29% rent burden
$47,230
$47,065
#24
Provo-Orem-Lehi
39% rent burden
$45,360
$46,177
#25
Lansing-East Lansing
35% rent burden
$43,730
$46,036

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Residential Advisorss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $59,140 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $49,283 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 residential advisors 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 Residential Advisorss?

Springfield has one of the lowest rent burdens for Residential Advisorss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,095/month, with a median salary of $52,730.

Where do Residential Advisorss get paid the most in nominal terms?

Barnstable Town pays the highest nominal median salary at $59,140/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Residential AdvisorssView →How to become a residential advisorsGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →