Salary Comparison
Patternmakers: Fargo vs Columbia
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Fargo, ND
$57,589/yr
Columbia, MD
$66,192/yr
Our recommendation: Fargo, ND
Fargo offers $373 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Fargo
Columbia
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$57,589
$66,192
$8,603
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,503
$4,027
$524
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
94
124
-30 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,436
$3,333
$897
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,401
$2,050
$649
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$1,067
$694
+$373
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.44×
1.21×
+0.23×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
5/10 (Tight)
4/10 (Tight)
+1
A vs B
Fargo — Full Details
Columbia — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.