What does a Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School salary really buy you in California?
California is 12.5% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
California's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 112.5, meaning prices are 12.5% higher the national average. A Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School earning $81,860 in California has the equivalent purchasing power of $72,764 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for California's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $60,770 | $54,017 | $-6,752 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $65,260 | $58,008 | $-7,251 |
| Median (P50) | $81,860 | $72,764 | $-9,095 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $110,620 | $98,328 | $-12,291 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $156,900 | $139,466 | $-17,433 |
While $81,860 sounds high, California's elevated cost of living erases 11% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $72,764. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Where does Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
California ranks #19 out of 49 states for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in California earns a median salary of $81,860 per year. After adjusting for California's cost of living (RPP=112.5), the real purchasing power is $72,764 — a -11.1% difference.
California's cost of living is 12.5% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for California is 112.5 (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 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in California: $81,860 x (100 / 112.5) = $72,764. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School's nominal salary of $81,860 in California has 11.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $72,764. However, California may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.