Average Salary by Location Type
Remote is the baseline here, so each region group is shown by how far it falls above or below the remote average across the mapped job titles
This slide uses the remote average salary as a reference point. It shows which region groups sit above that benchmark and which fall below it, making the geography story easier to compare after averaging across roles.
Urban High-COLA Regions
West and Northeast both belong to the Urban High-COLA group, but they are shown separately because they are different regional averages inside that same category. Both sit above the remote benchmark.
Middle Tier
Southwest sits closest to remote, suggesting that medium-COLA, medium-density markets can approach national rates without the largest coastal premium.
Below Remote
Midwest and Southeast fall below the remote benchmark, showing how lower-COLA, lower-density regions trade lower nominal salaries for stronger purchasing power.
Key insight: This chart is intentionally different from the role ranking and the later bubble charts. By centering the story on the remote average ($118,500), it becomes immediately clear which regional salary clusters pay a premium over national remote rates and which fall short. That makes the combined effect of COLA and density easier to read than a standard bar chart.