City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 4.9% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $104,900 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA and $987 in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $885 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Scranton, PA to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +4.9%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Scranton, PA | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,359 in Tulsa | $104,867 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$885/yr.
84 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$885/yr.
54 Fair 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 Scranton, PA to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Scranton → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $48,220 | $50,567 (−34.0%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $108,730 | $114,022 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $81,320 | $85,278 (+21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $84,790 | $88,917 (+7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.