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 | Redmond, WA | $140,000 | 114.6 | $122,164 | #1 |
| 2 | Menlo Park, CA | $140,000 | 138.5 | $101,083 | #2 |
| 3 | Newark, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #3 |
| 4 | Mountain View, CA | $124,950 | 138.5 | $90,217 | #4 |
| 5 | Gardena, CA | $122,400 | 138.5 | $88,375 | #5 |
| 6 | Cupertino, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #6 |
| 7 | NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA | $114,000 | 138.5 | $82,310 | #10 (-3) |
| 8 | Hawthorne, CA | $102,960 | 138.5 | $74,339 | #15 (-7) |
| 9 | Sunnyvale, CA | $100,000 | 138.5 | $72,202 | #17 (-8) |
| 10 | San Mateo, CA | $100,000 | 138.5 | $72,202 | #18 (-8) |
| 11 | Beaverton, OR | $97,620 | 113.1 | $86,313 | #7 (+4) |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $95,000 | 114.6 | $82,897 | #9 (+3) |
| 13 | Santa Clara, CA | $93,246 | 138.5 | $67,326 | #20 (-7) |
| 14 | San Francisco, CA | $92,552 | 138.5 | $66,825 | #21 (-7) |
| 15 | Redwood City, CA | $90,000 | 138.5 | $64,982 | #22 (-7) |
| 16 | Irvine, CA | $86,514 | 138.5 | $62,465 | #24 (-8) |
| 17 | SANTA MONICA, CA | $85,000 | 138.5 | $61,372 | #25 (-8) |
| 18 | Torrance, CA | $84,505 | 138.5 | $61,015 | #26 (-8) |
| 19 | San Jose, CA | $81,994 | 138.5 | $59,201 | #27 (-8) |
| 20 | Palo Alto, CA | $81,133 | 138.5 | $58,580 | #28 (-8) |
| 21 | Warren, MI | $78,000 | 90.6 | $86,093 | #8 (+13) |
| 22 | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 146.5 | $51,195 | #29 (-7) |
| 23 | Greensboro, NC | $72,174 | 95.7 | $75,417 | #14 (+9) |
| 24 | Portland, OR | $71,687 | 113.1 | $63,384 | #23 (+1) |
| 25 | Edison, NE | $71,532 | 90.8 | $78,780 | #11 (+14) |
| 26 | Novi, MI | $70,803 | 90.6 | $78,149 | #12 (+14) |
| 27 | Gaffney, SC | $70,000 | 95.3 | $73,452 | #16 (+11) |
| 28 | Saline, MI | $70,000 | 90.6 | $77,263 | #13 (+15) |
| 29 | Las Vegas, NV | $69,971 | 101.2 | $69,141 | #19 (+10) |
| 30 | San Diego, CA | $69,222 | 138.5 | $49,980 | #30 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Commercial and Industrial Designers is in Redmond, WA at $140,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Redmond, WA offers the best purchasing power at $122,164 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Saline, MI ranks #28 by nominal pay but climbs to #13 once cost of living is factored in (up 15 spots), making its $70,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Sunnyvale, CA looks strong at #9 on nominal pay ($100,000) but its high cost of living drops it 8 spots to #17 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Commercial and Industrial Designers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.