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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installerss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installerss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Slidell-Mandeville-Covington ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $97,800/year, better purchasing power than Anchorage's higher nominal pay of $101,020. 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 Anchorage$101,020
#2 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$92,290
#3 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington$90,690

Best purchasing power

#1 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington$97,800
#2 Anchorage$95,826
#3 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux$91,845

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installerss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
$90,690
$97,800
#2
Anchorage
16% rent burden
$101,020
$95,826
#3
$78,160
$91,845
#4
Lafayette
16% rent burden
$78,580
$90,104
#5
Baton Rouge
18% rent burden
$81,470
$89,744
#6
Lake Charles
19% rent burden
$76,070
$88,608
#7
New Orleans-Metairie
20% rent burden
$81,090
$87,570
#8
Saginaw
17% rent burden
$76,780
$84,476
#9
Manchester-Nashua
29% rent burden
$87,160
$82,491
#10
Cedar Rapids
16% rent burden
$72,920
$81,969
#11
Fargo
18% rent burden
$74,460
$81,941
#12
Springfield
27% rent burden
$78,190
$81,397
#13
Tucson
21% rent burden
$78,810
$81,331
#14
Clarksville
22% rent burden
$73,790
$81,132
#15
Gainesville
23% rent burden
$78,420
$81,071
#16
$81,800
$81,030
#17
Columbia
20% rent burden
$75,710
$80,835
#18
$92,290
$79,829
#19
$87,950
$79,650
#20
Salt Lake City-Murray
19% rent burden
$80,000
$79,310
#21
$77,800
$77,823
#22
Kennewick-Richland
24% rent burden
$77,610
$77,548
#23
Gainesville
25% rent burden
$73,750
$76,212
#24
Rochester
26% rent burden
$73,870
$76,131
#25
Sioux City
21% rent burden
$65,430
$75,685

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 Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installerss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $101,020 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $84,183 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 telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers 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 Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installerss?

Anchorage has one of the lowest rent burdens for Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installerss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,376/month, with a median salary of $101,020.

Where do Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installerss get paid the most in nominal terms?

Anchorage pays the highest nominal median salary at $101,020/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallerssView →How to become a telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installersGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →