Salary comparison
Recreation Workers: Fairbanks vs Sioux Falls
Fairbanks, AK pays about 52.4% more for recreation workers on paper — $61,040 vs $40,050. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Fairbanks comes out ahead by $20,990 a year in real buying power.
Fairbanks, AK
$61,040
$42,110
$62,130
$29.34
100
$61,040/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Sioux Falls, SD
$40,050
$37,060
$47,650
$19.26
100
$40,050/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $20,990 a year (52.4%) in favor of Fairbanks. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Fairbanks runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Sioux Falls sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Fairbanks is the better deal by $20,990 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Sioux Falls to Fairbanks for this role, the raise needs to beat 52.4% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do recreation workers earn more, Fairbanks or Sioux Falls?
Fairbanks pays $61,040 on median — about 52.4% more than Sioux Falls ($40,050). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Fairbanks. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Fairbanks gives you roughly$61,040 of real buying power versus $40,050 in the other city.