What does a Hearing Aid Specialists 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 Hearing Aid Specialists earning $78,830 in California has the equivalent purchasing power of $70,071 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) | $53,390 | $47,457 | $-5,932 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $61,010 | $54,231 | $-6,778 |
| Median (P50) | $78,830 | $70,071 | $-8,758 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $89,110 | $79,208 | $-9,901 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $97,610 | $86,764 | $-10,845 |
While $78,830 sounds high, California's elevated cost of living erases 11% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $70,071. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Where does Hearing Aid Specialists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
California ranks #15 out of 38 states for Hearing Aid Specialists after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Hearing Aid Specialists in California earns a median salary of $78,830 per year. After adjusting for California's cost of living (RPP=112.5), the real purchasing power is $70,071 — 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 Hearing Aid Specialists in California: $78,830 x (100 / 112.5) = $70,071. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Hearing Aid Specialists's nominal salary of $78,830 in California has 11.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $70,071. However, California may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.