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 | New York, NE | $44,912 | 90.8 | $49,463 | #1 |
| 2 | Miami, FL | $41,727 | 102.8 | $40,590 | #4 (-2) |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $40,830 | 92.3 | $44,236 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $40,477 | 138.5 | $29,225 | #7 (-3) |
| 5 | New York, NY | $40,000 | 125.1 | $31,974 | #6 (-1) |
| 6 | Orlando, FL | $38,210 | 102.8 | $37,169 | #5 (+1) |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $38,000 | 92.7 | $40,992 | #3 (+4) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks is in New York, NE at $44,912, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $49,463 equivalent.
- Beware: Los Angeles, CA looks strong at #4 on nominal pay ($40,477) but its high cost of living drops it 3 spots to #7 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.