What does a Software QA Engineer 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 Software QA Engineer earning $103,160 in Alaska has the equivalent purchasing power of $101,137 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) | $103,160 | $101,137 | $-2,022 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $103,160 | $101,137 | $-2,022 |
| Median (P50) | $103,160 | $101,137 | $-2,022 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $104,170 | $102,127 | $-2,042 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $104,170 | $102,127 | $-2,042 |
Alaska's cost of living is close to the national average, so $103,160 keeps most of its value at $101,137 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Software QA Engineer salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Alaska ranks #18 out of 48 states for Software QA Engineer after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Software QA Engineer in Alaska earns a median salary of $103,160 per year. After adjusting for Alaska's cost of living (RPP=102.0), the real purchasing power is $101,137 — 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 Software QA Engineer in Alaska: $103,160 x (100 / 102.0) = $101,137. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.