City comparison
College Station, TX vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 4.1% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $104,100 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,082 a month in College Station, TX and $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in College Station, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from College Station, TX to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,090 in Pittsburgh | $96,071 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
56 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
College Station, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, College Station → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $76,550 | $73,542 (+27.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $124,500 | $119,608 (+17.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $76,940 | $73,917 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $82,370 | $79,133 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.