What does a Commercial Divers salary really buy you in Alaska?
Alaska is 2.0% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Alaska's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.0, meaning prices are 2.0% higher the national average. A Commercial Divers earning $56,310 in Alaska has the equivalent purchasing power of $55,205 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Alaska's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $46,910 | $45,990 | $-919 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $47,840 | $46,901 | $-938 |
| Median (P50) | $56,310 | $55,205 | $-1,104 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $68,110 | $66,774 | $-1,335 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $86,030 | $84,343 | $-1,686 |
Alaska's cost of living is close to the national average, so $56,310 keeps most of its value at $55,205 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Commercial Divers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Alaska ranks #14 out of 17 states for Commercial Divers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Commercial Divers take-home pay in Alaska after taxes →
A Commercial Divers in Alaska earns a median salary of $56,310 per year. After adjusting for Alaska's cost of living (RPP=102.0), the real purchasing power is $55,205 — a -2.0% difference.
Alaska's cost of living is 2.0% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Alaska is 102.0 (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 Commercial Divers in Alaska: $56,310 x (100 / 102.0) = $55,205. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.