Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Great Lakes
Key facts
- #1 Ann Arbor, MI: $159k
- #2 Eden Prairie, MN: $141k
- #3 Chicago, IL: $135k
- 16 cities ranked in the Great Lakes
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: $128k across the typical city in our data.
- 1Ann Arbor MI$159k
- 2Eden Prairie MN$141k
- 3Chicago IL$135k
- 4Mundelein IL$134k
- 5Indianapolis IN$132k
- 6Dayton OH$131k
- 7Detroit MI$126k
- 8Springfield IL$125k
- 9Minneapolis MN$124k
- 10St. Paul MN$123k
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Ann Arbor leads on $159k, and #10 St. Paul is at $123k.
- Dayton reaches #6 on a sample of 50 openings with pay posted, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- Chicago is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,163 openings with pay posted behind its figure.
- Cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
A salary buys different amounts in different places. This list adjusts posted pay by the local price level, so it ranks what the pay is worth rather than the number on the posting.
How to use it
Use it to compare two offers or two cities. A lower headline salary in a cheaper place can leave you ahead of a higher one in an expensive metro.
The top 25
- 1
Ann Arbor MI
$159k
- Median posted pay
- $153k
- State prices vs US average
- −4%
- Openings with pay posted
- 133
Hiring most here: May Mobility, Torc Robotics, Thomson Reuters
Based on 133 openings with pay posted.
- 2
Eden Prairie MN
$141k
- Median posted pay
- $139k
- State prices vs US average
- −1%
- Openings with pay posted
- 82
Hiring most here: Unitedhealth Group, LHC Group, Illinois Tool Works
Based on 82 openings with pay posted.
- 3
Chicago IL
$135k
- Median posted pay
- $140k
- Local prices vs US average
- +4%
- Openings with pay posted
- 2,163
Hiring most here: Publicis Groupe, Confidential, Mars
Based on 2,163 openings with pay posted.
- 4
Mundelein IL
$134k
- Median posted pay
- $134k
- State prices vs US average
- +0%
- Openings with pay posted
- 80
Hiring most here: Coda Search│Staffing
Based on 80 openings with pay posted.
- 5
Indianapolis IN
$132k
- Median posted pay
- $124k
- State prices vs US average
- −7%
- Openings with pay posted
- 168
Hiring most here: Eli Lilly and Company, State of Indiana, Masco
Based on 168 openings with pay posted.
- 6
Dayton OH
$131k
- Median posted pay
- $121k
- State prices vs US average
- −7%
- Openings with pay posted
- 50
Hiring most here: University of Dayton, Modern Technology Solutions, Odyssey Systems Consulting
Based on 50 openings with pay posted.
- 7
Detroit MI
$126k
- Median posted pay
- $126k
- Local prices vs US average
- +0%
- Openings with pay posted
- 76
Hiring most here: Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System, Accident Fund
Based on 76 openings with pay posted.
- 8
Springfield IL
$125k
- Median posted pay
- $125k
- State prices vs US average
- +0%
- Openings with pay posted
- 104
Hiring most here: State of Illinois, Army National Guard Units, Hshs Medical Group
Based on 104 openings with pay posted.
- 9
Minneapolis MN
$124k
- Median posted pay
- $130k
- Local prices vs US average
- +5%
- Openings with pay posted
- 303
Hiring most here: Mortenson, Ameriprise Certificate, U.S. Bank
Based on 303 openings with pay posted.
- 10
St. Paul MN
$123k
- Median posted pay
- $121k
- State prices vs US average
- −1%
- Openings with pay posted
- 87
Hiring most here: George Konik Associates, Thomson Reuters, Mortenson
Based on 87 openings with pay posted.
- 11
Milwaukee WI
$122k
- Median posted pay
- $115k
- State prices vs US average
- −6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 104
Hiring most here: Michels, Rockwell Automation, Molson Coors Beverage
Based on 104 openings with pay posted.
- 12
Columbus OH
$120k
- Median posted pay
- $115k
- Local prices vs US average
- −5%
- Openings with pay posted
- 309
Hiring most here: State of Ohio, Nationwide, American Electric Power
Based on 309 openings with pay posted.
- 13
Cincinnati OH
$115k
- Median posted pay
- $110k
- Local prices vs US average
- −5%
- Openings with pay posted
- 145
Hiring most here: Medpace Holdings, Procter & Gamble, Western & Southern Financial Group
Based on 145 openings with pay posted.
- 14
Madison WI
$112k
- Median posted pay
- $106k
- State prices vs US average
- −6%
- Openings with pay posted
- 53
Hiring most here: Universities of Wisconsin [UW_Madison], Creative Financial Staffing, Catalent Pharma Solutions
Based on 53 openings with pay posted.
- 15
Schaumburg IL
$110k
- Median posted pay
- $110k
- State prices vs US average
- +0%
- Openings with pay posted
- 73
Hiring most here: Motorola Solutions, Fictiv, Zurich
Based on 73 openings with pay posted.
- 16
Cleveland OH
$108k
- Median posted pay
- $100k
- State prices vs US average
- −7%
- Openings with pay posted
- 172
Hiring most here: Flexjet, Sherwin Williams, KeyBank
Based on 172 openings with pay posted.
Full ranking
All 16 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | City | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor MI | $159k | 133 |
| 2 | Eden Prairie MN | $141k | 82 |
| 3 | Chicago IL | $135k | 2,163 |
| 4 | Mundelein IL | $134k | 80 |
| 5 | Indianapolis IN | $132k | 168 |
| 6 | Dayton OH | $131k | 50 |
| 7 | Detroit MI | $126k | 76 |
| 8 | Springfield IL | $125k | 104 |
| 9 | Minneapolis MN | $124k | 303 |
| 10 | St. Paul MN | $123k | 87 |
| 11 | Milwaukee WI | $122k | 104 |
| 12 | Columbus OH | $120k | 309 |
| 13 | Cincinnati OH | $115k | 145 |
| 14 | Madison WI | $112k | 53 |
| 15 | Schaumburg IL | $110k | 73 |
| 16 | Cleveland OH | $108k | 172 |
How this ranking works
The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100.
Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked.
A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges; Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states). Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which city ranks first: best cities for pay after cost of living in the great lakes?
- Ann Arbor leads the Great Lakes for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $159k buys at average US prices.
- How many cities are ranked?
- 16 cities have at least 100 openings with pay posted, so the list has 16 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Great Lakes
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Great Lakes
- Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Great Lakes
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Great Lakes
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Great Lakes
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes
- Best cities for pay after cost of living
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in California
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in Texas
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in Virginia
- Best cities for pay after cost of living in Massachusetts
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Great Lakes,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-great-lakes
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-great-lakes">Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Great Lakes (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
The job market, once a week
One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.
Applying and hearing nothing back?
Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.
Already a member? Log in
Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?
Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.