What does a Machinists salary really buy you in Alaska?
Alaska is 2.0% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Alaska's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.0, meaning prices are 2.0% higher the national average. A Machinists earning $72,710 in Alaska has the equivalent purchasing power of $71,284 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) | $49,990 | $49,009 | $-980 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $52,680 | $51,647 | $-1,032 |
| Median (P50) | $72,710 | $71,284 | $-1,425 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $92,030 | $90,225 | $-1,804 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $100,280 | $98,313 | $-1,966 |
Alaska's cost of living is close to the national average, so $72,710 keeps most of its value at $71,284 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Machinists salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Alaska ranks #1 out of 50 states for Machinists after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Machinists in Alaska earns a median salary of $72,710 per year. After adjusting for Alaska's cost of living (RPP=102.0), the real purchasing power is $71,284 — 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 Machinists in Alaska: $72,710 x (100 / 102.0) = $71,284. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.