Nominal salary tells you how much money you receive. Cost-of-living-adjusted salary tells you how much that money can actually buy. A $200,000 salary in San Francisco and a $140,000 salary in Austin can provide nearly identical purchasing power. Tax differences are not included.
Where Should I Live?
Nominal vs COL-Adjusted Salary
| # | Location | Median (Nominal) | COL Index | Adjusted | COL Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NE | $126,700 | 90.8 | $139,537 | #1 |
| 2 | NEWARK, NE | $117,000 | 90.8 | $128,855 | #2 |
| 3 | McLean, VA | $111,360 | 100.7 | $110,585 | #4 (-1) |
| 4 | Newport Beach, CA | $104,200 | 138.5 | $75,235 | #21 (-17) |
| 5 | New York, NY | $103,500 | 125.1 | $82,734 | #19 (-14) |
| 6 | Newark, NJ | $103,500 | 113.7 | $91,029 | #11 (-5) |
| 7 | Charlotte, NC | $103,477 | 95.7 | $108,126 | #5 (+2) |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $102,588 | 90.6 | $113,232 | #3 (+5) |
| 9 | Tampa, FL | $102,250 | 102.8 | $99,465 | #7 (+2) |
| 10 | Wilmington, DE | $101,215 | 101.1 | $100,114 | #6 (+4) |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $100,000 | 113.1 | $88,417 | #15 (-4) |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $98,839 | 100.7 | $98,151 | #8 (+4) |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $97,490 | 114.6 | $85,070 | #18 (-5) |
| 14 | Hartford, CT | $97,080 | 112.8 | $86,064 | #16 (-2) |
| 15 | Armonk, NY | $93,400 | 125.1 | $74,660 | #22 (-7) |
| 16 | Boston, MA | $92,472 | 146.5 | $63,121 | #28 (-12) |
| 17 | Woodland Hills, CA | $92,000 | 138.5 | $66,426 | #25 (-8) |
| 18 | Stamford, CT | $91,000 | 112.8 | $80,674 | #20 (-2) |
| 19 | Irvine, CA | $90,777 | 138.5 | $65,543 | #26 (-7) |
| 20 | Wellesley, MA | $90,000 | 146.5 | $61,433 | #30 (-10) |
| 21 | San Francisco, CA | $89,625 | 138.5 | $64,711 | #27 (-6) |
| 22 | Chicago, IL | $87,235 | 92.3 | $94,512 | #9 (+13) |
| 23 | Philadelphia, PA | $86,638 | 95.6 | $90,626 | #12 (+11) |
| 24 | Los Angeles, CA | $86,590 | 138.5 | $62,520 | #29 (-5) |
| 25 | Columbus, OH | $84,885 | 94.0 | $90,303 | #13 (+12) |
| 26 | Minneapolis, MN | $84,823 | 94.6 | $89,665 | #14 (+12) |
| 27 | Fort Wayne, IN | $84,233 | 91.0 | $92,564 | #10 (+17) |
| 28 | Windsor, CT | $84,038 | 112.8 | $74,501 | #23 (+5) |
| 29 | Baltimore, MD | $83,000 | 116.5 | $71,245 | #24 (+5) |
| 30 | Houston, TX | $79,500 | 92.7 | $85,761 | #17 (+13) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Actuaries is in New York, NE at $126,700, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $139,537 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Fort Wayne, IN ranks #27 by nominal pay but climbs to #10 once cost of living is factored in (up 17 spots), making its $84,233 go a lot further.
- Beware: Newport Beach, CA looks strong at #4 on nominal pay ($104,200) but its high cost of living drops it 17 spots to #21 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Actuaries wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.