Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Economists salary really buy you in Delaware?
Delaware is 2.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Delaware's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 98.0, meaning prices are 2.0% lower the national average. A Economists earning $159,120 in Delaware has the equivalent purchasing power of $162,367 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Delaware's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $74,690 | $76,214 | +$1,524 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $102,270 | $104,357 | +$2,087 |
| Median (P50) | $159,120 | $162,367 | +$3,247 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $167,430 | $170,846 | +$3,416 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $214,000 | $218,367 | +$4,367 |
Delaware's cost of living is close to the national average, so $159,120 keeps most of its value at $162,367 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
With an RPP of 98.0, Delaware is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Economists is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After adjusting for Delaware's cost of living, $159,120 nominal nets out to $162,367 in real purchasing power — a small 2.0% gain. The state's cost profile is close enough to average that COL alone shouldn't drive location decisions for this Economists.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Economists, Delaware places #1 of 40 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Economists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Delaware ranks #1 out of 40 states for Economists after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Economists take-home pay in Delaware after taxes →
A Economists in Delaware earns a median salary of $159,120 per year. After adjusting for Delaware's cost of living (RPP=98.0), the real purchasing power is $162,367 — a +2.0% difference.
Delaware's cost of living is 2.0% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Delaware is 98.0 (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 Economists in Delaware: $159,120 x (100 / 98.0) = $162,367. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Economists in Delaware enjoys 2.0% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.