Jobs, pay and daily life in College, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
College is a city in Alaska with 11,924 residents. The median household earns $83,895 a year and the median rent is $1,454 a month, which is 20.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area, where BLS counts 36,430 jobs.
How College compares. Among the 30 largest places in Alaska, College is #6 by population, #4 for college degrees (#1 = most), #27 for remote work (#1 = most), #23 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Fairbanks North Star Borough, is #10 of 30 counties for average pay ($69,700).
College has 11,924 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.6% of the population of Alaska. It covers 19 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 635 people per square mile. The median age is 32.7, 9% younger than the state median (32.7 against 35.8). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,454 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,454 against $1,419). Over a year that is 20.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $297,500, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($83,895); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 61.0% of households own their home, 9% below the state average (61.0% against 66.8%).
The Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area has 36,430 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $61,810 a year, 21% above the national median ($61,810 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (4,280 jobs, median $54,080); food preparation and serving related (3,470 jobs, median $35,150); transportation and material moving (3,070 jobs, median $49,850). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Fairbanks North Star Borough was 3.5%. 56.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Fairbanks North Star Borough; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 65.4% drive alone, 1.1% use public transit, 12.2% walk, 4.9% work from home. 2.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 66% below the state average (2.9% against 8.4%).
39.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% above the state share (39.9% against 31.7%). 8.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 4% above the state share (8.0% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 6.5%, 36% below the state rate (6.5% against 10.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 60°F (15.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at -4°F (-20.1°C). About 519 mm (20 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (90 mm) and Mar the driest (19 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Farmers Loop (5 miles, rent 3% lower); Fairbanks (5 miles, similar rent); Chena Ridge (8 miles, rent 24% lower); Steele Creek (12 miles, rent 16% lower). Rent differences are against College; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alaska (324) →State guide: AlaskaCountry guideFairbanks North Star BoroughAlaska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 324 federal postings open in Alaska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 630 | 0.77 | $114,990 | $61,370 | $214,210 | +9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 590 | 1.21 | $76,560 | $57,050 | $78,810 | +31% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 540 | 1.59 | $73,620 | $50,720 | $97,910 | +6% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 630 | 1.58 | $47,860 | $35,360 | $62,380 | +1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 500 | 0.97 | $43,420 | $28,520 | $60,480 | +18% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 590 | 0.59 | $42,550 | $36,510 | $50,390 | +19% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 840 | 1.27 | $40,850 | $36,830 | $57,430 | +9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,040 | 1.14 | $37,550 | $30,070 | $54,960 | +6% |
| Cashiers | 670 | 0.92 | $37,340 | $31,610 | $49,320 | +14% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 800 | 0.89 | $30,170 | $24,770 | $45,300 | -3% |
These figures are for the whole Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $61,810 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 33.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.1% |
| Public administration | 10.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.3% |
| Other services | 7.4% |
| Retail trade | 6.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.8% |
| Construction | 4.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.3% |
| Manufacturing | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Information | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where College lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks North Star Borough | 95,460 | $7,891 million | $82,666 | 37,015 | 2,441 | $69,700 | +2.4% | 3.5% | 45,010 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,403 | 20.6% | $76,996 | 1.02 |
| Retail trade | 4,581 | 17.5% | $44,032 | 1.24 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,866 | 14.7% | $31,662 | 1.15 |
| Construction | 2,884 | 11.0% | $112,504 | 1.48 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,023 | 7.7% | $76,526 | 1.29 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,212 | 4.6% | $76,170 | 0.47 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,184 | 4.5% | $60,126 | 1.06 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,102 | 4.2% | $64,481 | 0.51 |
| Manufacturing | 684 | 2.6% | $56,503 | 0.22 |
| Wholesale trade | 624 | 2.4% | $76,829 | 0.43 |
| Real estate and rental | 573 | 2.2% | $60,162 | 1.00 |
| Finance and insurance | 524 | 2.0% | $70,332 | 0.35 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 501 | 1.9% | $28,900 | 0.81 |
| Utilities | 469 | 1.8% | $107,642 | 3.33 |
| Information | 282 | 1.1% | $90,684 | 0.41 |
| Educational services | 224 | 0.9% | $34,865 | 0.29 |
| Management of companies | 113 | 0.4% | $120,549 | 0.18 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 65.4% |
| Public transit | 1.1% |
| Walk | 12.2% |
| Work from home | 4.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 2.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,895 |
| Income per person | $47,311 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,454 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.8% |
| Median home value | $297,500 |
| Homeowners | 61.0% |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 103.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $61,810 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 39.9% |
| Born abroad | 8.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 56.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -20.1 | -4 | 24 |
| Feb | -16.2 | 3 | 23 |
| Mar | -14.0 | 7 | 19 |
| Apr | -2.5 | 28 | 23 |
| May | 8.6 | 47 | 34 |
| Jun | 14.6 | 58 | 70 |
| Jul | 15.5 | 60 | 90 |
| Aug | 12.5 | 54 | 80 |
| Sep | 6.1 | 43 | 56 |
| Oct | -3.5 | 26 | 36 |
| Nov | -15.0 | 5 | 34 |
| Dec | -17.9 | -0 | 30 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers Loop | AK | 5 mi | 4,954 | $109,950 | $1,406 |
| Fairbanks | AK | 5 mi | 32,083 | $73,534 | $1,496 |
| Chena Ridge | AK | 8 mi | 5,881 | $133,775 | $1,110 |
| Steele Creek | AK | 12 mi | 5,928 | $121,364 | $1,223 |
| Badger | AK | 14 mi | 18,677 | $97,183 | $1,629 |
| Fishhook | AK | 221 mi | 5,819 | $111,375 | $1,837 |
| Tanaina | AK | 227 mi | 9,646 | $105,536 | $1,398 |
| North Lakes | AK | 229 mi | 10,223 | $101,679 | $1,441 |
| Palmer | AK | 230 mi | 6,268 | $72,201 | $1,125 |
| Meadow Lakes | AK | 230 mi | 8,689 | $81,699 | $1,377 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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11,924 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,454 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.8% of the median household income.
$83,895 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Fairbanks North Star Borough (latest month 2026M09)).
Alaska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.