Salary comparison
Security Guards: Anchorage vs Ithaca
Ithaca, NY pays about 6.0% more for security guards on paper — $49,540 vs $46,720. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Ithaca comes out ahead by $2,820 a year in real buying power.
Anchorage, AK
$46,720
$38,380
$69,930
$22.46
100
$46,720/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Ithaca, NY
$49,540
$40,170
$58,600
$23.82
100
$49,540/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $2,820 a year (6.0%) in favor of Ithaca. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Anchorage runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Ithaca sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Ithaca is the better deal by $2,820 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Anchorage to Ithaca for this role, the raise needs to beat 6.0% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do security guards earn more, Anchorage or Ithaca?
Ithaca pays $49,540 on median — about 6.0% more than Anchorage ($46,720). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Ithaca. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Ithaca gives you roughly$49,540 of real buying power versus $46,720 in the other city.