Salary comparison
Physical Therapists: Salinas vs Santa Fe
Salinas, CA pays about 1.8% more for physical therapists on paper — $127,120 vs $124,870. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Salinas comes out ahead by $2,250 a year in real buying power.
Salinas, CA
$127,120
$104,510
$138,480
$61.12
100
$127,120/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Fe, NM
$124,870
$103,340
$142,420
$60.03
100
$124,870/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $2,250 a year (1.8%) in favor of Salinas. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Salinas runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Santa Fe sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Salinas is the better deal by $2,250 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Santa Fe to Salinas for this role, the raise needs to beat 1.8% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do physical therapists earn more, Salinas or Santa Fe?
Salinas pays $127,120 on median — about 1.8% more than Santa Fe ($124,870). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Salinas. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Salinas gives you roughly$127,120 of real buying power versus $124,870 in the other city.