City comparison
College Station, TX vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 5.3% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $105,300 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,082 a month in College Station, TX and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −5.0%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,268 in Syracuse | $94,996 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
53 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
85 Strong 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 Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Syracuse, NY | Real change, College Station → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $78,560 | $74,629 (+29.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $129,100 | $122,640 (+20.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $82,230 | $78,115 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $86,960 | $82,608 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.