Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Atmospheric and Space Scientists salary really buy you in Arizona?
Arizona is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Arizona's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 99.9, meaning prices are 0.1% lower the national average. A Atmospheric and Space Scientists earning $115,020 in Arizona has the equivalent purchasing power of $115,135 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $63,920 | $63,983 | +$63 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $77,330 | $77,407 | +$77 |
| Median (P50) | $115,020 | $115,135 | +$115 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $132,660 | $132,792 | +$132 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $156,500 | $156,656 | +$156 |
Arizona's cost of living is close to the national average, so $115,020 keeps most of its value at $115,135 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 99.9, Arizona is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Atmospheric and Space Scientists is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living, $115,020 nominal nets out to $115,135 in real purchasing power — a small 0.1% gain. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Atmospheric and Space Scientists.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Atmospheric and Space Scientists, Arizona places #8 of 47 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Atmospheric and Space Scientists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Arizona ranks #8 out of 47 states for Atmospheric and Space Scientists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Atmospheric and Space Scientists take-home pay in Arizona after taxes →
A Atmospheric and Space Scientists in Arizona earns a median salary of $115,020 per year. After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (RPP=99.9), the real purchasing power is $115,135 — a +0.1% difference.
Arizona's cost of living is 0.1% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Arizona is 99.9 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Atmospheric and Space Scientists in Arizona: $115,020 x (100 / 99.9) = $115,135. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.