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 | Stanford, CA | $234,840 | 138.5 | $169,560 | #15 (-14) |
| 2 | Ann Arbor, MI | $207,500 | 90.6 | $229,029 | #1 (+1) |
| 3 | BERKELEY, CA | $197,200 | 138.5 | $142,383 | #23 (-20) |
| 4 | Coral Gables, FL | $195,000 | 102.8 | $189,689 | #8 (-4) |
| 5 | Notre Dame, IN | $195,000 | 91.0 | $214,286 | #2 (+3) |
| 6 | Cambridge, MA | $193,000 | 146.5 | $131,741 | #26 (-20) |
| 7 | Durham, NC | $190,000 | 95.7 | $198,537 | #5 (+2) |
| 8 | Evanston, IL | $190,000 | 92.3 | $205,850 | #4 (+4) |
| 9 | New York, NE | $187,610 | 90.8 | $206,619 | #3 (+6) |
| 10 | Gainesville, FL | $185,000 | 102.8 | $179,961 | #10 |
| 11 | Chestnut Hill, MA | $183,963 | 146.5 | $125,572 | #29 (-18) |
| 12 | Richardson, TX | $183,333 | 92.7 | $197,771 | #6 (+6) |
| 13 | Chapel Hill, NC | $182,000 | 95.7 | $190,178 | #7 (+6) |
| 14 | Storrs, CO | $172,500 | 105.5 | $163,507 | #18 (-4) |
| 15 | College Station, TX | $171,663 | 92.7 | $185,181 | #9 (+6) |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $171,396 | 114.6 | $149,560 | #21 (-5) |
| 17 | Blacksburg, VA | $170,000 | 100.7 | $168,818 | #17 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $167,500 | 103.2 | $162,306 | #19 (-1) |
| 19 | Boulder, CO | $165,000 | 105.5 | $156,398 | #20 (-1) |
| 20 | Champaign, IL | $165,000 | 92.3 | $178,765 | #11 (+9) |
| 21 | New York, NY | $164,045 | 125.1 | $131,131 | #27 (-6) |
| 22 | College Park, MD | $163,200 | 116.5 | $140,086 | #25 (-3) |
| 23 | Columbus, OH | $161,000 | 94.0 | $171,277 | #13 (+10) |
| 24 | Bloomington, IN | $160,000 | 91.0 | $175,824 | #12 (+12) |
| 25 | Storrs, CT | $160,000 | 112.8 | $141,844 | #24 (+1) |
| 26 | Tempe, AZ | $160,000 | 108.4 | $147,601 | #22 (+4) |
| 27 | ITHACA, NY | $160,000 | 125.1 | $127,898 | #28 (-1) |
| 28 | Minneapolis, MN | $160,000 | 94.6 | $169,133 | #16 (+12) |
| 29 | Amherst, MA | $157,500 | 146.5 | $107,509 | #30 (-1) |
| 30 | Atlanta, GA | $155,000 | 91.0 | $170,330 | #14 (+16) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Business Teachers, Postsecondary is in Stanford, CA at $234,840, but after cost-of-living adjustment Ann Arbor, MI offers the best purchasing power at $229,029 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Atlanta, GA ranks #30 by nominal pay but climbs to #14 once cost of living is factored in (up 16 spots), making its $155,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: BERKELEY, CA looks strong at #3 on nominal pay ($197,200) but its high cost of living drops it 20 spots to #23 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Business Teachers, Postsecondary wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.