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 | $208,666 | 90.8 | $229,808 | #1 |
| 2 | Greenwich, CT | $192,300 | 112.8 | $170,479 | #2 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $188,000 | 125.1 | $150,280 | #3 |
| 4 | Menlo Park, CA | $182,500 | 138.5 | $131,769 | #8 (-4) |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $169,790 | 146.0 | $116,295 | #17 (-12) |
| 6 | Mountain View, CA | $168,500 | 138.5 | $121,661 | #11 (-5) |
| 7 | Santa Clara, CA | $165,943 | 138.5 | $119,814 | #13 (-6) |
| 8 | Palo Alto, CA | $165,934 | 138.5 | $119,808 | #14 (-6) |
| 9 | Redwood City, CA | $165,000 | 138.5 | $119,134 | #15 (-6) |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $160,000 | 138.5 | $115,523 | #19 (-9) |
| 11 | White Plains, NY | $160,000 | 125.1 | $127,898 | #10 (+1) |
| 12 | Cupertino, CA | $158,955 | 138.5 | $114,769 | #20 (-8) |
| 13 | El Segundo, CA | $158,080 | 138.5 | $114,137 | #21 (-8) |
| 14 | Sunnyvale, CA | $152,000 | 138.5 | $109,747 | #23 (-9) |
| 15 | Stamford, CT | $150,000 | 112.8 | $132,979 | #7 (+8) |
| 16 | Brooklyn, NY | $150,000 | 125.1 | $119,904 | #12 (+4) |
| 17 | Foster City, CA | $149,984 | 138.5 | $108,292 | #24 (-7) |
| 18 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $147,805 | 113.7 | $129,996 | #9 (+9) |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $145,000 | 105.5 | $137,441 | #6 (+13) |
| 20 | South San Francisco, CA | $145,000 | 138.5 | $104,693 | #25 (-5) |
| 21 | Fremont, CA | $145,000 | 138.5 | $104,693 | #26 (-5) |
| 22 | Boston, MA | $144,250 | 146.5 | $98,464 | #29 (-7) |
| 23 | San Jose, CA | $143,000 | 138.5 | $103,249 | #27 (-4) |
| 24 | Milpitas, CA | $141,244 | 138.5 | $101,981 | #28 (-4) |
| 25 | Charlotte, NC | $133,598 | 95.7 | $139,601 | #5 (+20) |
| 26 | Oakland, CA | $132,500 | 138.5 | $95,668 | #30 (-4) |
| 27 | Beaverton, OR | $131,518 | 113.1 | $116,285 | #18 (+9) |
| 28 | Houston, TX | $130,000 | 92.7 | $140,237 | #4 (+24) |
| 29 | Newark, NJ | $128,299 | 113.7 | $112,839 | #22 (+7) |
| 30 | Phoenix, AZ | $127,823 | 108.4 | $117,917 | #16 (+14) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Financial Managers is in New York, NE at $208,666, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $229,808 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Houston, TX ranks #28 by nominal pay but climbs to #4 once cost of living is factored in (up 24 spots), making its $130,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Washington, DC looks strong at #5 on nominal pay ($169,790) but its high cost of living drops it 12 spots to #17 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Financial Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.