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 | $123,180 | 90.8 | $135,661 | #1 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $107,578 | 125.1 | $85,994 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $82,514 | 92.3 | $89,398 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $81,945 | 146.5 | $55,935 | #5 (-1) |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, UT | $61,800 | 103.2 | $59,884 | #4 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Financial Examiners is in New York, NE at $123,180, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $135,661 equivalent.
- Beware: New York, NY looks strong at #2 on nominal pay ($107,578) but its high cost of living drops it 1 spots to #3 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Financial Examiners wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.