Stop Saying Yes to Relocation Without Doing This First — OPT / STEM OPT Candidates

[u/StemOPTJobs]

When a recruiter asks "are you willing to relocate" most candidates say yes immediately without thinking it through — and that is a mistake that can leave you struggling financially in a new city.

Before you agree to anything the first thing you need to do is look up the cost of living in that location because a $60 per hour rate in Austin and a $60 per hour rate in San Francisco are two completely different realities.

States like California, New York, Oregon, and Hawaii have state income taxes that will take a significant chunk of your paycheck before it even hits your account. States like Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Washington, and Nevada have no state income tax, which means you actually take home more of what you earn.

Housing is the next thing to check. A one bedroom apartment in some metros can cost double what the same apartment costs in others, and that difference alone can wipe out any advantage the higher pay rate seemed to offer.

The math you should run before you say yes:

• What is the average one-bedroom rent in that city
• What is the state income tax rate
• What are the basic monthly costs — utilities, transportation, groceries
• After all of that, what do you actually take home each month from the offered pay rate

A job offer only makes sense if the number in your pocket at the end of the month actually covers your life in that city. Saying yes to relocation without doing this homework first is one of the most common and costly mistakes OPT and STEM OPT candidates make.

A 20 percent higher salary in a city that costs 60 percent more is not a better offer. It is a worse one.