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 | Cambridge, MA | $98,066 | 146.5 | $66,939 | #6 (-5) |
| 2 | New York, NY | $93,640 | 125.1 | $74,852 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | Charlottesville, VA | $80,500 | 100.7 | $79,940 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | Ann Arbor, MI | $77,494 | 90.6 | $85,535 | #1 (+3) |
| 5 | College Station, TX | $64,479 | 92.7 | $69,556 | #4 (+1) |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $62,000 | 92.3 | $67,172 | #5 (+1) |
| 7 | Ames, IA | $60,000 | 90.3 | $66,445 | #7 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary is in Cambridge, MA at $98,066, but after cost-of-living adjustment Ann Arbor, MI offers the best purchasing power at $85,535 equivalent.
- Beware: Cambridge, MA looks strong at #1 on nominal pay ($98,066) but its high cost of living drops it 5 spots to #6 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.