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 | Menlo Park, CA | $143,092 | 138.5 | $103,316 | #3 (-2) |
| 2 | Foster City, CA | $140,000 | 138.5 | $101,083 | #4 (-2) |
| 3 | Cupertino, CA | $129,605 | 138.5 | $93,578 | #5 (-2) |
| 4 | SAN CARLOS, CA | $120,786 | 138.5 | $87,210 | #6 (-2) |
| 5 | Newark, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #7 (-2) |
| 6 | Mountain View, CA | $118,000 | 138.5 | $85,199 | #8 (-2) |
| 7 | Palo Alto, CA | $115,294 | 138.5 | $83,245 | #11 (-4) |
| 8 | Addison, TX | $110,531 | 92.7 | $119,235 | #1 (+7) |
| 9 | Alameda, CA | $108,826 | 138.5 | $78,575 | #12 (-3) |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | $108,805 | 138.5 | $78,560 | #13 (-3) |
| 11 | Sunnyvale, CA | $107,890 | 138.5 | $77,899 | #14 (-3) |
| 12 | Concord, CA | $105,646 | 138.5 | $76,279 | #15 (-3) |
| 13 | San Francisco, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #16 (-3) |
| 14 | Niskayuna, NY | $105,000 | 125.1 | $83,933 | #10 (+4) |
| 15 | Santa Clara, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #17 (-2) |
| 16 | Milpitas, CA | $104,000 | 138.5 | $75,090 | #18 (-2) |
| 17 | Campbell, CA | $103,210 | 138.5 | $74,520 | #19 (-2) |
| 18 | Redwood City, CA | $103,000 | 138.5 | $74,368 | #20 (-2) |
| 19 | San Mateo, CA | $103,000 | 138.5 | $74,368 | #21 (-2) |
| 20 | Belmont, CA | $102,565 | 138.5 | $74,054 | #22 (-2) |
| 21 | MARLBOROUGH, MA | $101,564 | 146.5 | $69,327 | #28 (-7) |
| 22 | SANTA ROSA, CA | $100,922 | 138.5 | $72,868 | #23 (-1) |
| 23 | Livermore, CA | $100,500 | 138.5 | $72,563 | #24 (-1) |
| 24 | Fremont, CA | $100,000 | 138.5 | $72,202 | #25 (-1) |
| 25 | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 138.5 | $72,202 | #26 (-1) |
| 26 | Cambridge, MA | $100,000 | 146.5 | $68,259 | #29 (-3) |
| 27 | BERKELEY, CA | $100,000 | 138.5 | $72,202 | #27 |
| 28 | Wilmington, MA | $98,698 | 146.5 | $67,371 | #30 (-2) |
| 29 | ROCHESTER, NE | $98,565 | 90.8 | $108,552 | #2 (+27) |
| 30 | Vancouver, WA | $97,219 | 114.6 | $84,833 | #9 (+21) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Electrical Engineers is in Menlo Park, CA at $143,092, but after cost-of-living adjustment Addison, TX offers the best purchasing power at $119,235 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: ROCHESTER, NE ranks #29 by nominal pay but climbs to #2 once cost of living is factored in (up 27 spots), making its $98,565 go a lot further.
- Beware: MARLBOROUGH, MA looks strong at #21 on nominal pay ($101,564) but its high cost of living drops it 7 spots to #28 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Electrical Engineers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.