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 | Round Rock, TX | $99,029 | 92.7 | $106,827 | #1 |
| 2 | Foster City, CA | $94,600 | 138.5 | $68,303 | #4 (-2) |
| 3 | Palo Alto, CA | $84,386 | 138.5 | $60,928 | #12 (-9) |
| 4 | Mountain View, CA | $78,000 | 138.5 | $56,318 | #18 (-14) |
| 5 | Braintree, MA | $73,500 | 146.5 | $50,171 | #22 (-17) |
| 6 | Sunnyvale, CA | $70,000 | 138.5 | $50,542 | #21 (-15) |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $68,816 | 114.6 | $60,049 | #15 (-8) |
| 8 | New York, NE | $67,933 | 90.8 | $74,816 | #2 (+6) |
| 9 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $66,248 | 113.7 | $58,266 | #16 (-7) |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $66,176 | 138.5 | $47,781 | #24 (-14) |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $65,000 | 92.7 | $70,119 | #3 (+8) |
| 12 | Washington, DC | $62,000 | 146.0 | $42,466 | #29 (-17) |
| 13 | Flushing, NY | $61,360 | 125.1 | $49,049 | #23 (-10) |
| 14 | San Jose, CA | $61,006 | 138.5 | $44,048 | #25 (-11) |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $60,268 | 138.5 | $43,515 | #26 (-11) |
| 16 | Berkeley Lake, GA | $60,000 | 91.0 | $65,934 | #5 (+11) |
| 17 | Irvine, CA | $60,000 | 138.5 | $43,321 | #27 (-10) |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $60,000 | 91.0 | $65,934 | #6 (+12) |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $60,000 | 95.7 | $62,696 | #10 (+9) |
| 20 | Duluth, GA | $60,000 | 91.0 | $65,934 | #7 (+13) |
| 21 | Boulder, CO | $60,000 | 105.5 | $56,872 | #17 (+4) |
| 22 | Santa Clara, CA | $60,000 | 138.5 | $43,321 | #28 (-6) |
| 23 | Plano, TX | $60,000 | 92.7 | $64,725 | #9 (+14) |
| 24 | Somerset, NJ | $60,000 | 113.7 | $52,770 | #19 (+5) |
| 25 | Norcross, GA | $60,000 | 91.0 | $65,934 | #8 (+17) |
| 26 | Phoenix, AZ | $57,150 | 108.4 | $52,721 | #20 (+6) |
| 27 | Richardson, TX | $56,753 | 92.7 | $61,222 | #11 (+16) |
| 28 | Houston, TX | $56,200 | 92.7 | $60,626 | #13 (+15) |
| 29 | Cambridge, MA | $55,933 | 146.5 | $38,179 | #30 (-1) |
| 30 | Rockford, IL | $55,740 | 92.3 | $60,390 | #14 (+16) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Business Operations Specialists, All Other is in Round Rock, TX at $99,029, but after cost-of-living adjustment Round Rock, TX offers the best purchasing power at $106,827 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Norcross, GA ranks #25 by nominal pay but climbs to #8 once cost of living is factored in (up 17 spots), making its $60,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Braintree, MA looks strong at #5 on nominal pay ($73,500) but its high cost of living drops it 17 spots to #22 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Business Operations Specialists, All Other wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.