Cost of Living in College Station, TX
College Station-Bryan, TX — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in College Station, TX to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is College Station, TX?
With a price level of 91.0 (U.S. average = 100), College Station, TX is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 25% below average; everyday goods are 6% below average; utilities are 16% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 4% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in College Station, TX vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.0 | −9.0% |
| Housing | 75.1 | −24.9% |
| Goods | 93.8 | −6.2% |
| Utilities | 84.4 | −15.6% |
| Other services | 96.2 | −3.8% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in College Station, TX
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,025 | $41,000/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,082 | $43,280/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,186 | $47,440/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,649 | $65,960/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,928 | $77,120/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in College Station, TX
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in College Station, TX | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,400 | $31,427 |
| $60,000 | $54,600 | $46,051 |
| $80,000 | $72,800 | $60,045 |
| $100,000 | $91,000 | $72,849 |
| $150,000 | $136,400 | $104,495 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Texas 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning College Station, TX's median wage of $44,470 takes home about $3,159 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,082, which is 34% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,077 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in College Station, TX
- Federal income tax$3,156
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,757
- Medicare (1.45%)$645
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$37,912
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in College Station, TX
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Manager | $87,910 | $70,675 | $77,706 |
| Registered Nurse | $83,090 | $67,284 | $73,978 |
| Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary | $57,790 | $48,614 | $53,451 |
| Customer Service Representative | $37,190 | $32,062 | $35,252 |
| Stocker and Order Filler | $35,210 | $30,471 | $33,503 |
| Retail Salesperson | $28,800 | $25,321 | $27,840 |
| Cashier | $28,600 | $25,160 | $27,663 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $27,420 | $24,190 | $26,597 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $22,800 | $20,386 | $22,414 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Texas cities
Half of Texas’s 14,071,160 workers earn less than $48,620 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $35,370–$77,840 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Austin, TX stretches a paycheck furthest, while McAllen, TX is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | $51,440 | 103.1 | $1,586 | 44% | $2,040 | $42,208 |
| Houston, TX | $49,410 | 98.6 | $1,316 | 38% | $2,174 | $42,463 |
| Austin, TX | $56,950 | 98.1 | $1,562 | 39% | $2,433 | $48,885 |
| San Antonio, TX | $47,010 | 94.7 | $1,171 | 35% | $2,158 | $42,181 |
| El Paso, TX | $39,510 | 89.9 | $1,012 | 36% | $1,815 | $37,733 |
| McAllen, TX | $35,830 | 85.9 | $847 | 33% | $1,734 | $36,055 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $45,350 | 92.7 | $1,115 | 35% | $2,103 | $41,673 |
| Lubbock, TX | $42,130 | 91.3 | $974 | 32% | $2,029 | $39,458 |
| Beaumont, TX | $48,630 | 90.0 | $898 | 26% | $2,540 | $45,815 |
| Brownsville, TX | $36,490 | 86.0 | $866 | 33% | $1,759 | $36,638 |
| Killeen, TX | $46,660 | 91.1 | $982 | 30% | $2,324 | $43,532 |
| College Station, TX | $44,470 | 91.0 | $1,082 | 34% | $2,077 | $41,684 |
| Waco, TX | $46,020 | 92.5 | $966 | 30% | $2,297 | $42,309 |
| Amarillo, TX | $44,580 | 91.8 | $903 | 29% | $2,264 | $41,385 |
| Midland, TX | $54,480 | 95.8 | $1,449 | 38% | $2,381 | $47,978 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
College Station, TX vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College Station, TX | 91.0 | $1,082 | $44,470 | 134,040 |
| Flint, MI | 93.0 | $856 | $45,880 | 135,040 |
| Evansville, IN | 91.5 | $860 | $46,540 | 135,250 |
| South Bend, IN | 92.9 | $1,073 | $46,540 | 131,670 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 92.0 | $1,065 | $45,620 | 131,430 |
| Rockford, IL | 92.2 | $895 | $47,120 | 137,650 |
| Olympia, WA | 103.7 | $1,682 | $61,960 | 130,300 |
Frequently asked questions
Is College Station, TX expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the College Station-Bryan, TX metro area are 91.0% of the U.S. average, with housing at 75.1%. It is the #270 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in College Station, TX?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $54,571 in College Station, TX (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $44,470.
Can you afford College Station, TX on the median wage?
A single worker on the $44,470 median wage takes home about $3,159 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,082 would take 34% of that.
How much is rent in College Station, TX?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for College Station, TX are $1,025 for a studio, $1,082 for one bedroom, $1,186 for two bedrooms and $1,649 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in College Station, TX
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $87,910
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary — $57,790
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $83,090
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,420
- Waiter and Waitress — $22,800
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $28,800
- Cashier — $28,600
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Customer Service Representative — $37,190
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,210