U.S. states with the highest salaries for accountants and auditors

3. The impact of a cost of living adjustment on salaries

This analysis presents an interesting perspective which should be taken into account when comparing salaries or jobs in different states.  Yes, a job with a higher salary in California may appear to be a better choice, but when one considers the cost of living in California, it may not be so.  You can see that the two lists (presented earlier) have only five (5) overlapping states.  The map with the highest adjusted salaries shifted from the West and East coasts to the Midwest or the South of the U.S.

The map below shows a color coded impact of adjusting salaries for the cost of living (green means a favorable salary adjustment for a state):

Impact of cost of living on salaries

U.S. states such as North Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma – that usually don’t come to mind as the places with the highest salaries – actually start to look pretty appealing from a compensation standpoint.  All because the cost of living in these states is lower than the national average.

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