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 | Pleasanton, CA | $104,000 | 138.5 | $75,090 | #7 (-6) |
| 2 | Tarrytown, NE | $100,400 | 90.8 | $110,573 | #1 (+1) |
| 3 | Redwood City, CA | $100,173 | 138.5 | $72,327 | #8 (-5) |
| 4 | Mountain View, CA | $98,000 | 138.5 | $70,758 | #10 (-6) |
| 5 | Menlo Park, CA | $91,874 | 138.5 | $66,335 | #13 (-8) |
| 6 | Chesterfield, MO | $91,000 | 88.5 | $102,825 | #2 (+4) |
| 7 | SAN CARLOS, CA | $90,000 | 138.5 | $64,982 | #14 (-7) |
| 8 | Rockville, MA | $86,798 | 146.5 | $59,248 | #20 (-12) |
| 9 | Foster City, CA | $85,905 | 138.5 | $62,025 | #15 (-6) |
| 10 | Santa Clara, CA | $85,800 | 138.5 | $61,949 | #16 (-6) |
| 11 | BETHESDA, MA | $85,010 | 146.5 | $58,027 | #21 (-10) |
| 12 | South San Francisco, CA | $85,000 | 138.5 | $61,372 | #18 (-6) |
| 13 | Gaithersburg, MD | $83,000 | 116.5 | $71,245 | #9 (+4) |
| 14 | Frederick, MD | $80,869 | 116.5 | $69,415 | #11 (+3) |
| 15 | Silver Spring, MD | $80,814 | 116.5 | $69,368 | #12 (+3) |
| 16 | San Diego, CA | $79,000 | 138.5 | $57,040 | #22 (-6) |
| 17 | Tarrytown, NY | $76,900 | 125.1 | $61,471 | #17 |
| 18 | Fremont, CA | $76,700 | 138.5 | $55,379 | #23 (-5) |
| 19 | Sunnyvale, CA | $76,689 | 138.5 | $55,371 | #24 (-5) |
| 20 | Los Alamos, NM | $75,900 | 94.0 | $80,745 | #4 (+16) |
| 21 | Memphis, TN | $75,000 | 90.3 | $83,056 | #3 (+18) |
| 22 | Santa Cruz, CA | $74,300 | 138.5 | $53,646 | #25 (-3) |
| 23 | MORRISVILLE, NC | $74,000 | 95.7 | $77,325 | #6 (+17) |
| 24 | Emeryville, CA | $73,000 | 138.5 | $52,708 | #26 (-2) |
| 25 | Lexington, MA | $72,800 | 146.5 | $49,693 | #28 (-3) |
| 26 | San Francisco, CA | $72,779 | 138.5 | $52,548 | #27 (-1) |
| 27 | Indianapolis, IN | $72,096 | 91.0 | $79,227 | #5 (+22) |
| 28 | Framingham, MA | $72,000 | 146.5 | $49,147 | #29 (-1) |
| 29 | Bethesda, MD | $71,000 | 116.5 | $60,944 | #19 (+10) |
| 30 | Waltham, MA | $70,990 | 146.5 | $48,458 | #30 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Biological Scientists, All Other is in Pleasanton, CA at $104,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Tarrytown, NE offers the best purchasing power at $110,573 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Indianapolis, IN ranks #27 by nominal pay but climbs to #5 once cost of living is factored in (up 22 spots), making its $72,096 go a lot further.
- Beware: Rockville, MA looks strong at #8 on nominal pay ($86,798) but its high cost of living drops it 12 spots to #20 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Biological Scientists, All Other wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.