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 | New York, NE | $77,019 | 90.8 | $84,823 | #1 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $60,000 | 92.3 | $65,005 | #2 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $58,000 | 138.5 | $41,877 | #4 (-1) |
| 4 | New York, NY | $55,000 | 125.1 | $43,965 | #3 (+1) |
| 5 | Brooklyn, NY | $47,403 | 125.1 | $37,892 | #5 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Curators is in New York, NE at $77,019, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $84,823 equivalent.
- Beware: Los Angeles, CA looks strong at #3 on nominal pay ($58,000) but its high cost of living drops it 1 spots to #4 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Curators wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.