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 | San Francisco, CA | $90,126 | 138.5 | $65,073 | #13 (-12) |
| 2 | WALNUT CREEK, CA | $86,703 | 138.5 | $62,601 | #16 (-14) |
| 3 | SACRAMENTO, CA | $85,843 | 138.5 | $61,981 | #18 (-15) |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $85,000 | 114.6 | $74,171 | #6 (-2) |
| 5 | Oakland, CA | $84,021 | 138.5 | $60,665 | #19 (-14) |
| 6 | DALLAS, TX | $82,600 | 92.7 | $89,105 | #1 (+5) |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $82,430 | 146.0 | $56,459 | #23 (-16) |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $82,300 | 138.5 | $59,422 | #21 (-13) |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $82,050 | 105.5 | $77,773 | #4 (+5) |
| 10 | New York, NE | $77,896 | 90.8 | $85,789 | #2 (+8) |
| 11 | San Diego, CA | $77,875 | 138.5 | $56,228 | #24 (-13) |
| 12 | New York, NY | $77,750 | 125.1 | $62,150 | #17 (-5) |
| 13 | San Jose, CA | $75,625 | 138.5 | $54,603 | #26 (-13) |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $75,241 | 146.5 | $51,359 | #27 (-13) |
| 15 | Richland, WA | $75,000 | 114.6 | $65,445 | #11 (+4) |
| 16 | Houston, TX | $74,257 | 92.7 | $80,105 | #3 (+13) |
| 17 | Cincinnati, OH | $72,072 | 94.0 | $76,672 | #5 (+12) |
| 18 | Tampa, FL | $69,000 | 102.8 | $67,121 | #10 (+8) |
| 19 | BERKELEY, CA | $68,806 | 138.5 | $49,679 | #28 (-9) |
| 20 | Austin, TX | $65,550 | 92.7 | $70,712 | #7 (+13) |
| 21 | Phoenix, AZ | $65,531 | 108.4 | $60,452 | #20 (+1) |
| 22 | Chicago, IL | $64,854 | 92.3 | $70,265 | #9 (+13) |
| 23 | Atlanta, GA | $64,293 | 91.0 | $70,652 | #8 (+15) |
| 24 | Philadelphia, PA | $62,202 | 95.6 | $65,065 | #14 (+10) |
| 25 | Canonsburg, PA | $61,000 | 95.6 | $63,808 | #15 (+10) |
| 26 | Indianapolis, IN | $59,332 | 91.0 | $65,200 | #12 (+14) |
| 27 | Miami, FL | $57,000 | 102.8 | $55,447 | #25 (+2) |
| 28 | Raleigh, NC | $56,497 | 95.7 | $59,035 | #22 (+6) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Environmental Engineers is in San Francisco, CA at $90,126, but after cost-of-living adjustment DALLAS, TX offers the best purchasing power at $89,105 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Atlanta, GA ranks #23 by nominal pay but climbs to #8 once cost of living is factored in (up 15 spots), making its $64,293 go a lot further.
- Beware: Washington, DC looks strong at #7 on nominal pay ($82,430) but its high cost of living drops it 16 spots to #23 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
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Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.