Salary comparison
Security Guards: Fairbanks vs Rochester
Fairbanks, AK pays about 26.4% more for security guards on paper — $60,400 vs $47,790. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Fairbanks comes out ahead by $12,610 a year in real buying power.
Fairbanks, AK
$60,400
$46,650
$75,380
$29.04
100
$60,400/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Rochester, MN
$47,790
$40,240
$55,980
$22.98
100
$47,790/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $12,610 a year (26.4%) 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; Rochester sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Fairbanks is the better deal by $12,610 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Rochester to Fairbanks for this role, the raise needs to beat 26.4% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do security guards earn more, Fairbanks or Rochester?
Fairbanks pays $60,400 on median — about 26.4% more than Rochester ($47,790). 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$60,400 of real buying power versus $47,790 in the other city.