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 | $150,000 | 138.5 | $108,303 | #1 |
| 2 | Cupertino, CA | $136,000 | 138.5 | $98,195 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | Morgan Hill, CA | $130,353 | 138.5 | $94,117 | #5 (-2) |
| 4 | Palo Alto, CA | $130,281 | 138.5 | $94,066 | #6 (-2) |
| 5 | Newark, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #7 (-2) |
| 6 | Mountain View, CA | $121,312 | 138.5 | $87,590 | #12 (-6) |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #13 (-6) |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #14 (-6) |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $113,816 | 113.1 | $100,633 | #2 (+7) |
| 10 | Milpitas, CA | $112,000 | 138.5 | $80,866 | #15 (-5) |
| 11 | Santa Clara, CA | $111,634 | 138.5 | $80,602 | #16 (-5) |
| 12 | Sunnyvale, CA | $110,802 | 138.5 | $80,001 | #17 (-5) |
| 13 | San Mateo, CA | $110,000 | 138.5 | $79,422 | #18 (-5) |
| 14 | TUSTIN, CA | $109,103 | 138.5 | $78,775 | #19 (-5) |
| 15 | Campbell, CA | $108,805 | 138.5 | $78,560 | #20 (-5) |
| 16 | Westford, MA | $106,787 | 146.5 | $72,892 | #24 (-8) |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $106,018 | 146.5 | $72,367 | #27 (-10) |
| 18 | MARLBOROUGH, MA | $105,227 | 146.5 | $71,827 | #28 (-10) |
| 19 | Billerica, MA | $105,000 | 146.5 | $71,672 | #29 (-10) |
| 20 | Lynnwood, WA | $103,707 | 114.6 | $90,495 | #9 (+11) |
| 21 | Lake Forest, CA | $103,380 | 138.5 | $74,643 | #21 |
| 22 | Aliso Viejo, CA | $102,794 | 138.5 | $74,219 | #22 |
| 23 | San Diego, CA | $102,190 | 138.5 | $73,784 | #23 |
| 24 | Bridgewater, NJ | $101,088 | 113.7 | $88,908 | #10 (+14) |
| 25 | Irvine, CA | $100,913 | 138.5 | $72,861 | #25 |
| 26 | Nashua, NH | $100,681 | 109.9 | $91,611 | #8 (+18) |
| 27 | Colorado Springs, CO | $100,656 | 105.5 | $95,409 | #4 (+23) |
| 28 | Newbury Park, CA | $100,490 | 138.5 | $72,556 | #26 (+2) |
| 29 | Redmond, WA | $100,443 | 114.6 | $87,647 | #11 (+18) |
| 30 | Waltham, MA | $100,385 | 146.5 | $68,522 | #30 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer is in Menlo Park, CA at $150,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Menlo Park, CA offers the best purchasing power at $108,303 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Colorado Springs, CO ranks #27 by nominal pay but climbs to #4 once cost of living is factored in (up 23 spots), making its $100,656 go a lot further.
- Beware: Boston, MA looks strong at #17 on nominal pay ($106,018) but its high cost of living drops it 10 spots to #27 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Electronics Engineers, Except Computer wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.