College Professor Salary: Detroit, MI vs Boston, MA
BLS does not publish a separate estimate for College Professors. The figures on this page are the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other (25-1199), the closest published occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for College Professors in Detroit, MI and Boston, MA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Detroit, MI | Boston, MA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $66,150 | $103,340▲ | -$37,190 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,420 | $85,140▲ | -$25,720 |
| 75th Percentile | $84,030 | $163,440▲ | -$79,410 |
| 90th Percentile | $124,780 | $287,670▲ | -$162,890 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 100.3 | 108.3 | -8.0 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $65,953 | $95,450▲ | -$29,497 |
| Total Employment | 860 | 1,120 | -260 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Boston, MA pays $37,190 more (median: $66,150 vs $103,340). BEA's regional price parity is 100.3 in Detroit, MI and 108.3 in Boston, MA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $65,953 and $95,450, so Boston, MA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $37,190 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $65,953 for Detroit and $95,450 for Boston, a difference of $29,497.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 860 College Professor jobs in the Detroit area and 1,120 in the Boston area. For broader context, see our Michigan overview and the full College Professor city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is College Professor salary higher in Detroit, MI or Boston, MA?
Boston, MA has the higher median wage for College Professors ($103,340 per year, against $66,150 in Detroit, MI; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $65,953 in Detroit, MI and $95,450 in Boston, MA.
How do prices compare between Detroit, MI and Boston, MA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 100.3 for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metropolitan area and 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 0.3% above the national level for Detroit, MI and 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA.
Which city pays College Professors more once local prices are counted?
Boston, MA: at national-average prices its median College Professor wage is $95,450, against $65,953 for Detroit, MI. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.