City comparison
College Station, TX vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in College Station, TX (91.0) and Oklahoma City, OK (90.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in College Station, TX goes as far as $99,400 in Oklahoma City, OK.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in College Station, TX versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in College Station, TX and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in College Station, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from College Station, TX to Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by +0.6%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,403 in Oklahoma City | $100,601 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Oklahoma City, OK
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
71 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → College Station, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, College Station → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $48,780 | $49,073 (−15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $122,390 | $123,125 (+20.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $77,280 | $77,744 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $82,920 | $83,418 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.