City comparison
College Station, TX vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 10.9% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $110,900 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 16% in College Station, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in FL.
- 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 Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −9.9%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,928 in Tampa | $90,149 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
37 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 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 Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Tampa, FL | Real change, College Station → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $101,890 | $118,970 | $107,250 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $130,450 | $117,599 (+15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $78,990 | $71,208 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $85,470 | $77,050 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.