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 | Tarrytown, NY | $65,025 | 125.1 | $51,978 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | South San Francisco, CA | $60,000 | 138.5 | $43,321 | #10 (-8) |
| 3 | Cambridge, MA | $58,000 | 146.5 | $39,590 | #15 (-12) |
| 4 | Gaithersburg, MD | $56,104 | 116.5 | $48,158 | #3 (+1) |
| 5 | Palo Alto, CA | $54,558 | 138.5 | $39,392 | #17 (-12) |
| 6 | New York, NE | $54,399 | 90.8 | $59,910 | #1 (+5) |
| 7 | Stanford, CA | $52,775 | 138.5 | $38,105 | #20 (-13) |
| 8 | Santa Barbara, CA | $52,662 | 138.5 | $38,023 | #21 (-13) |
| 9 | Silver Spring, MD | $52,521 | 116.5 | $45,082 | #5 (+4) |
| 10 | Bethesda, MD | $50,940 | 116.5 | $43,725 | #8 (+2) |
| 11 | Rockville, MD | $48,003 | 116.5 | $41,204 | #13 (-2) |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $47,496 | 138.5 | $34,293 | #24 (-12) |
| 13 | New York, NY | $46,398 | 125.1 | $37,089 | #22 (-9) |
| 14 | Hayward, CA | $45,563 | 138.5 | $32,897 | #25 (-11) |
| 15 | La Jolla, CA | $45,370 | 138.5 | $32,758 | #26 (-11) |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $45,330 | 114.6 | $39,555 | #16 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $43,722 | 146.5 | $29,844 | #28 (-11) |
| 18 | Los Angeles, CA | $42,029 | 138.5 | $30,346 | #27 (-9) |
| 19 | South Plainfield, NJ | $42,000 | 113.7 | $36,939 | #23 (-4) |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $41,925 | 90.3 | $46,429 | #4 (+16) |
| 21 | Tampa, FL | $41,267 | 102.8 | $40,143 | #14 (+7) |
| 22 | Charlestown, MA | $41,081 | 146.5 | $28,042 | #29 (-7) |
| 23 | Worcester, MA | $41,017 | 146.5 | $27,998 | #30 (-7) |
| 24 | Durham, NC | $40,830 | 95.7 | $42,665 | #12 (+12) |
| 25 | DALLAS, TX | $40,804 | 92.7 | $44,017 | #7 (+18) |
| 26 | Cincinnati, OH | $40,310 | 94.0 | $42,883 | #11 (+15) |
| 27 | Aurora, CO | $40,242 | 105.5 | $38,144 | #19 (+8) |
| 28 | Ann Arbor, MI | $40,000 | 90.6 | $44,150 | #6 (+22) |
| 29 | Chicago, IL | $40,000 | 92.3 | $43,337 | #9 (+20) |
| 30 | Miami, FL | $40,000 | 102.8 | $38,911 | #18 (+12) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Biological Technicians is in Tarrytown, NY at $65,025, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $59,910 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Ann Arbor, MI ranks #28 by nominal pay but climbs to #6 once cost of living is factored in (up 22 spots), making its $40,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Stanford, CA looks strong at #7 on nominal pay ($52,775) but its high cost of living drops it 13 spots to #20 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Biological Technicians wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.