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 | Venice, CA | $177,112 | 138.5 | $127,879 | #8 (-7) |
| 2 | Menlo Park, CA | $173,013 | 138.5 | $124,919 | #9 (-7) |
| 3 | Costa Mesa, CA | $172,848 | 138.5 | $124,800 | #10 (-7) |
| 4 | Mountain View, CA | $170,000 | 138.5 | $122,744 | #12 (-8) |
| 5 | Palo Alto, CA | $162,885 | 138.5 | $117,607 | #14 (-9) |
| 6 | Cupertino, CA | $162,885 | 138.5 | $117,607 | #15 (-9) |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $162,671 | 138.5 | $117,452 | #16 (-9) |
| 8 | Redwood City, CA | $161,250 | 138.5 | $116,426 | #17 (-9) |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $160,000 | 138.5 | $115,523 | #18 (-9) |
| 10 | Foster City, CA | $159,203 | 138.5 | $114,948 | #19 (-9) |
| 11 | Santa Clara, CA | $159,182 | 138.5 | $114,933 | #20 (-9) |
| 12 | Sunnyvale, CA | $157,269 | 138.5 | $113,552 | #21 (-9) |
| 13 | Houston, TX | $152,464 | 92.7 | $164,470 | #2 (+11) |
| 14 | Fremont, CA | $151,000 | 138.5 | $109,025 | #23 (-9) |
| 15 | Herndon, VA | $150,000 | 100.7 | $148,957 | #5 (+10) |
| 16 | Newark, CA | $150,000 | 138.5 | $108,303 | #24 (-8) |
| 17 | New York, NE | $150,000 | 90.8 | $165,198 | #1 (+16) |
| 18 | Portland, OR | $149,739 | 113.1 | $132,395 | #6 (+12) |
| 19 | The Woodlands, TX | $148,892 | 92.7 | $160,617 | #3 (+16) |
| 20 | Bellevue, WA | $146,646 | 114.6 | $127,963 | #7 (+13) |
| 21 | Long Beach, CA | $146,554 | 138.5 | $105,815 | #25 (-4) |
| 22 | Folsom, CA | $145,000 | 138.5 | $104,693 | #26 (-4) |
| 23 | Irvine, CA | $145,000 | 138.5 | $104,693 | #27 (-4) |
| 24 | Milpitas, CA | $143,083 | 138.5 | $103,309 | #28 (-4) |
| 25 | Cambridge, MA | $142,563 | 146.5 | $97,313 | #30 (-5) |
| 26 | Austin, TX | $142,223 | 92.7 | $153,422 | #4 (+22) |
| 27 | San Mateo, CA | $141,835 | 138.5 | $102,408 | #29 (-2) |
| 28 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $140,462 | 113.7 | $123,537 | #11 (+17) |
| 29 | New York, NY | $140,462 | 125.1 | $112,280 | #22 (+7) |
| 30 | Seattle, WA | $140,000 | 114.6 | $122,164 | #13 (+17) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Architectural and Engineering Managers is in Venice, CA at $177,112, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $165,198 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Austin, TX ranks #26 by nominal pay but climbs to #4 once cost of living is factored in (up 22 spots), making its $142,223 go a lot further.
- Beware: Palo Alto, CA looks strong at #5 on nominal pay ($162,885) but its high cost of living drops it 9 spots to #14 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Architectural and Engineering Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.