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 | San Jose, CA | $74,818 | 138.5 | $54,020 | #9 (-8) |
| 2 | New York, NE | $72,000 | 90.8 | $79,295 | #1 (+1) |
| 3 | BROOKLYN, NE | $68,873 | 90.8 | $75,851 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $68,182 | 138.5 | $49,229 | #13 (-9) |
| 5 | Oakland, CA | $65,510 | 138.5 | $47,300 | #17 (-12) |
| 6 | Cambridge, MA | $65,000 | 146.5 | $44,369 | #24 (-18) |
| 7 | Irvine, CA | $65,000 | 138.5 | $46,931 | #18 (-11) |
| 8 | San Diego, CA | $63,482 | 138.5 | $45,835 | #20 (-12) |
| 9 | SANTA MONICA, CA | $63,315 | 138.5 | $45,715 | #21 (-12) |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $62,450 | 146.5 | $42,628 | #26 (-16) |
| 11 | Bellevue, WA | $60,500 | 114.6 | $52,792 | #11 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $60,000 | 91.0 | $65,934 | #3 (+9) |
| 13 | New York, NY | $60,000 | 125.1 | $47,962 | #15 (-2) |
| 14 | Los Angeles, CA | $59,467 | 138.5 | $42,937 | #25 (-11) |
| 15 | Venice, CA | $58,375 | 138.5 | $42,148 | #27 (-12) |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $57,760 | 114.6 | $50,401 | #12 (+4) |
| 17 | Culver City, CA | $57,678 | 138.5 | $41,645 | #28 (-11) |
| 18 | Brooklyn, NY | $57,484 | 125.1 | $45,950 | #19 (-1) |
| 19 | Flushing, NY | $57,096 | 125.1 | $45,640 | #22 (-3) |
| 20 | Long Island City, NY | $57,000 | 125.1 | $45,564 | #23 (-3) |
| 21 | Washington, DC | $56,100 | 146.0 | $38,425 | #30 (-9) |
| 22 | Coral Gables, FL | $56,014 | 102.8 | $54,488 | #8 (+14) |
| 23 | Chicago, IL | $56,000 | 92.3 | $60,672 | #4 (+19) |
| 24 | Salt Lake City, UT | $55,474 | 103.2 | $53,753 | #10 (+14) |
| 25 | Austin, TX | $55,120 | 92.7 | $59,461 | #5 (+20) |
| 26 | Houston, TX | $54,600 | 92.7 | $58,900 | #6 (+20) |
| 27 | Portland, OR | $54,184 | 113.1 | $47,908 | #16 (+11) |
| 28 | Pleasanton, CA | $54,000 | 138.5 | $38,989 | #29 (-1) |
| 29 | DALLAS, TX | $53,019 | 92.7 | $57,194 | #7 (+22) |
| 30 | Phoenix, AZ | $52,000 | 108.4 | $47,970 | #14 (+16) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Architects, Except Landscape and Naval is in San Jose, CA at $74,818, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $79,295 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: DALLAS, TX ranks #29 by nominal pay but climbs to #7 once cost of living is factored in (up 22 spots), making its $53,019 go a lot further.
- Beware: Cambridge, MA looks strong at #6 on nominal pay ($65,000) but its high cost of living drops it 18 spots to #24 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Architects, Except Landscape and Naval wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.