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 | San Francisco, CA | $92,600 | 138.5 | $66,859 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | New York, NY | $75,398 | 125.1 | $60,271 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $73,000 | 138.5 | $52,708 | #4 (-1) |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $68,250 | 92.3 | $73,944 | #1 (+3) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists is in San Francisco, CA at $92,600, but after cost-of-living adjustment Chicago, IL offers the best purchasing power at $73,944 equivalent.
- Beware: San Francisco, CA looks strong at #1 on nominal pay ($92,600) but its high cost of living drops it 1 spots to #2 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.