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 | Los Gatos, CA | $228,675 | 138.5 | $165,108 | #5 (-4) |
| 2 | Menlo Park, CA | $195,000 | 138.5 | $140,794 | #8 (-6) |
| 3 | Redwood Shores, CA | $190,632 | 138.5 | $137,640 | #10 (-7) |
| 4 | New York, NE | $184,793 | 90.8 | $203,517 | #1 (+3) |
| 5 | FLORHAM PARK, NJ | $175,968 | 113.7 | $154,765 | #6 (-1) |
| 6 | Mountain View, CA | $175,000 | 138.5 | $126,354 | #12 (-6) |
| 7 | Jersey City, NE | $173,000 | 90.8 | $190,529 | #2 (+5) |
| 8 | Cupertino, CA | $172,800 | 138.5 | $124,765 | #13 (-5) |
| 9 | San Bruno, CA | $172,000 | 138.5 | $124,188 | #14 (-5) |
| 10 | Palo Alto, CA | $170,200 | 138.5 | $122,888 | #15 (-5) |
| 11 | East Palo Alto, CA | $170,050 | 138.5 | $122,780 | #16 (-5) |
| 12 | Emeryville, CA | $170,031 | 138.5 | $122,766 | #17 (-5) |
| 13 | Santa Clara, CA | $170,000 | 138.5 | $122,744 | #18 (-5) |
| 14 | Belmont, CA | $168,189 | 138.5 | $121,436 | #19 (-5) |
| 15 | San Mateo, CA | $168,189 | 138.5 | $121,436 | #20 (-5) |
| 16 | San Francisco, CA | $168,189 | 138.5 | $121,436 | #21 (-5) |
| 17 | Sunnyvale, CA | $167,929 | 138.5 | $121,248 | #22 (-5) |
| 18 | San Jose, CA | $167,612 | 138.5 | $121,019 | #23 (-5) |
| 19 | Redwood City, CA | $164,800 | 138.5 | $118,989 | #24 (-5) |
| 20 | Lewisville, TX | $163,883 | 92.7 | $176,789 | #4 (+16) |
| 21 | Oakland, CA | $162,000 | 138.5 | $116,968 | #25 (-4) |
| 22 | Edison, NE | $160,763 | 90.8 | $177,052 | #3 (+19) |
| 23 | Wilton, CT | $159,484 | 112.8 | $141,387 | #7 (+16) |
| 24 | Brooklyn, NY | $159,250 | 125.1 | $127,298 | #11 (+13) |
| 25 | Pleasanton, CA | $158,192 | 138.5 | $114,218 | #26 (-1) |
| 26 | Somerset, NJ | $157,075 | 113.7 | $138,149 | #9 (+17) |
| 27 | SANTA MONICA, CA | $155,000 | 138.5 | $111,913 | #27 |
| 28 | CARLSBAD, CA | $153,851 | 138.5 | $111,083 | #28 |
| 29 | South San Francisco, CA | $153,608 | 138.5 | $110,908 | #29 |
| 30 | Foster City, CA | $153,608 | 138.5 | $110,908 | #30 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Computer and Information Systems Managers is in Los Gatos, CA at $228,675, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $203,517 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Edison, NE ranks #22 by nominal pay but climbs to #3 once cost of living is factored in (up 19 spots), making its $160,763 go a lot further.
- Beware: Redwood Shores, CA looks strong at #3 on nominal pay ($190,632) but its high cost of living drops it 7 spots to #10 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Computer and Information Systems Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.