City comparison
College Station, TX vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 3.0% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $103,000 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 16% in College Station, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, SC changes real buying power by −2.9%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,981 in Columbia | $97,106 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
60 Fair offer
Columbia, SC → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
78 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Columbia, SC | Real change, College Station → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $101,890 | $101,330 | $98,397 (−3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $123,380 | $119,809 (+17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $69,210 | $67,207 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $81,920 | $79,549 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.