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 | Cambridge, MA | $107,500 | 146.5 | $73,379 | #23 (-22) |
| 2 | College Station, TX | $103,500 | 92.7 | $111,650 | #2 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $102,800 | 125.1 | $82,174 | #18 (-15) |
| 4 | Ann Arbor, MI | $101,750 | 90.6 | $112,307 | #1 (+3) |
| 5 | La Jolla, CA | $100,900 | 138.5 | $72,852 | #24 (-19) |
| 6 | Madison, WI | $100,000 | 95.1 | $105,152 | #4 (+2) |
| 7 | ITHACA, NY | $100,000 | 125.1 | $79,936 | #21 (-14) |
| 8 | Hoboken, NJ | $99,440 | 113.7 | $87,458 | #16 (-8) |
| 9 | Worcester, MA | $98,000 | 146.5 | $66,894 | #26 (-17) |
| 10 | San Diego, CA | $97,296 | 138.5 | $70,250 | #25 (-15) |
| 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | $96,000 | 103.2 | $93,023 | #12 (-1) |
| 12 | Amherst, MA | $95,000 | 146.5 | $64,846 | #29 (-17) |
| 13 | Urbana, IL | $95,000 | 92.3 | $102,925 | #6 (+7) |
| 14 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $95,000 | 87.9 | $108,077 | #3 (+11) |
| 15 | Newark, DE | $95,000 | 101.1 | $93,966 | #11 (+4) |
| 16 | Newark, NJ | $94,750 | 113.7 | $83,333 | #17 (-1) |
| 17 | Philadelphia, PA | $94,000 | 95.6 | $98,326 | #9 (+8) |
| 18 | Dearborn, MI | $93,693 | 90.6 | $103,414 | #5 (+13) |
| 19 | Boulder, CO | $93,000 | 105.5 | $88,152 | #15 (+4) |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $93,000 | 91.0 | $102,198 | #7 (+13) |
| 21 | Seattle, WA | $92,025 | 114.6 | $80,301 | #19 (+2) |
| 22 | San Jose, CA | $92,004 | 138.5 | $66,429 | #27 (-5) |
| 23 | Austin, TX | $92,000 | 92.7 | $99,245 | #8 (+15) |
| 24 | Boston, MA | $92,000 | 146.5 | $62,799 | #30 (-6) |
| 25 | Moscow, ID | $92,000 | 103.1 | $89,234 | #14 (+11) |
| 26 | Blacksburg, VA | $92,000 | 100.7 | $91,360 | #13 (+13) |
| 27 | Baltimore, MD | $91,500 | 116.5 | $78,541 | #22 (+5) |
| 28 | Raleigh, NC | $91,000 | 95.7 | $95,089 | #10 (+18) |
| 29 | Corvallis, OR | $90,500 | 113.1 | $80,017 | #20 (+9) |
| 30 | Riverside, CA | $90,450 | 138.5 | $65,307 | #28 (+2) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary is in Cambridge, MA at $107,500, but after cost-of-living adjustment Ann Arbor, MI offers the best purchasing power at $112,307 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Raleigh, NC ranks #28 by nominal pay but climbs to #10 once cost of living is factored in (up 18 spots), making its $91,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Cambridge, MA looks strong at #1 on nominal pay ($107,500) but its high cost of living drops it 22 spots to #23 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.