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 | Santa Clara, CA | $95,000 | 138.5 | $68,592 | #6 (-5) |
| 2 | Foster City, CA | $93,600 | 138.5 | $67,581 | #8 (-6) |
| 3 | Sunnyvale, CA | $93,150 | 138.5 | $67,256 | #9 (-6) |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $91,299 | 138.5 | $65,919 | #11 (-7) |
| 5 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $91,000 | 138.5 | $65,704 | #12 (-7) |
| 6 | South San Francisco, CA | $90,700 | 138.5 | $65,487 | #14 (-8) |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $88,691 | 138.5 | $64,037 | #16 (-9) |
| 8 | Cambridge, MA | $88,155 | 146.5 | $60,174 | #19 (-11) |
| 9 | Waltham, MA | $83,350 | 146.5 | $56,894 | #21 (-12) |
| 10 | Gaithersburg, MD | $77,930 | 116.5 | $66,893 | #10 |
| 11 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $77,000 | 113.7 | $67,722 | #7 (+4) |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $76,774 | 100.7 | $76,240 | #3 (+9) |
| 13 | Wilmington, DE | $76,000 | 101.1 | $75,173 | #4 (+9) |
| 14 | SANTA ROSA, CA | $75,696 | 138.5 | $54,654 | #23 (-9) |
| 15 | Billerica, MA | $75,132 | 146.5 | $51,285 | #26 (-11) |
| 16 | Seattle, WA | $75,127 | 114.6 | $65,556 | #13 (+3) |
| 17 | Irvine, CA | $75,000 | 138.5 | $54,152 | #24 (-7) |
| 18 | New York, NE | $75,000 | 90.8 | $82,599 | #1 (+17) |
| 19 | Lexington, MA | $74,880 | 146.5 | $51,113 | #27 (-8) |
| 20 | Fremont, CA | $74,150 | 138.5 | $53,538 | #25 (-5) |
| 21 | Bridgewater, NJ | $73,900 | 113.7 | $64,996 | #15 (+6) |
| 22 | Washington, DC | $72,500 | 146.0 | $49,658 | #28 (-6) |
| 23 | Boston, MA | $72,446 | 146.5 | $49,451 | #29 (-6) |
| 24 | New York, NY | $70,300 | 125.1 | $56,195 | #22 (+2) |
| 25 | Parsippany, NJ | $70,000 | 113.7 | $61,566 | #17 (+8) |
| 26 | Whippany, NJ | $70,000 | 113.7 | $61,566 | #18 (+8) |
| 27 | Princeton, NE | $70,000 | 90.8 | $77,093 | #2 (+25) |
| 28 | MARLBOROUGH, MA | $69,525 | 146.5 | $47,457 | #30 (-2) |
| 29 | Austin, TX | $67,175 | 92.7 | $72,465 | #5 (+24) |
| 30 | Princeton, NJ | $67,018 | 113.7 | $58,943 | #20 (+10) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Compliance Officers is in Santa Clara, CA at $95,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $82,599 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Princeton, NE ranks #27 by nominal pay but climbs to #2 once cost of living is factored in (up 25 spots), making its $70,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Waltham, MA looks strong at #9 on nominal pay ($83,350) but its high cost of living drops it 12 spots to #21 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Compliance Officers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.