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 | Redmond, WA | $167,400 | 114.6 | $146,073 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | Stamford, CT | $160,000 | 112.8 | $141,844 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | Menlo Park, CA | $155,563 | 138.5 | $112,320 | #12 (-9) |
| 4 | Newark, NJ | $150,000 | 113.7 | $131,926 | #7 (-3) |
| 5 | Mountain View, CA | $140,505 | 138.5 | $101,448 | #14 (-9) |
| 6 | Charlotte, NC | $140,111 | 95.7 | $146,406 | #1 (+5) |
| 7 | San Mateo, CA | $138,375 | 138.5 | $99,910 | #15 (-8) |
| 8 | Redwood City, CA | $137,000 | 138.5 | $98,917 | #16 (-8) |
| 9 | Irvine, CA | $134,279 | 138.5 | $96,952 | #18 (-9) |
| 10 | Sunnyvale, CA | $132,000 | 138.5 | $95,307 | #20 (-10) |
| 11 | San Jose, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #21 (-10) |
| 12 | Palo Alto, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #22 (-10) |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $130,000 | 105.5 | $123,223 | #9 (+4) |
| 14 | Coral Gables, FL | $129,500 | 102.8 | $125,973 | #8 (+6) |
| 15 | San Francisco, CA | $128,000 | 138.5 | $92,419 | #23 (-8) |
| 16 | The Woodlands, TX | $127,500 | 92.7 | $137,540 | #5 (+11) |
| 17 | Cupertino, CA | $126,200 | 138.5 | $91,119 | #24 (-7) |
| 18 | New York, NE | $125,000 | 90.8 | $137,665 | #4 (+14) |
| 19 | Santa Clara, CA | $125,000 | 138.5 | $90,253 | #25 (-6) |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $125,000 | 114.6 | $109,075 | #13 (+7) |
| 21 | Waltham, MA | $125,000 | 146.5 | $85,324 | #28 (-7) |
| 22 | Cambridge, MA | $123,860 | 146.5 | $84,546 | #29 (-7) |
| 23 | Fremont, CA | $123,053 | 138.5 | $88,847 | #26 (-3) |
| 24 | BROOKLYN, NE | $122,086 | 90.8 | $134,455 | #6 (+18) |
| 25 | New York, NY | $120,474 | 125.1 | $96,302 | #19 (+6) |
| 26 | El Segundo, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #27 (-1) |
| 27 | Wilmington, DE | $116,480 | 101.1 | $115,213 | #11 (+16) |
| 28 | Milpitas, CA | $114,462 | 138.5 | $82,644 | #30 (-2) |
| 29 | Bellevue, WA | $112,674 | 114.6 | $98,319 | #17 (+12) |
| 30 | Fort Worth, TX | $111,239 | 92.7 | $119,999 | #10 (+20) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for General and Operations Managers is in Redmond, WA at $167,400, but after cost-of-living adjustment Charlotte, NC offers the best purchasing power at $146,406 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Fort Worth, TX ranks #30 by nominal pay but climbs to #10 once cost of living is factored in (up 20 spots), making its $111,239 go a lot further.
- Beware: Sunnyvale, CA looks strong at #10 on nominal pay ($132,000) but its high cost of living drops it 10 spots to #20 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a General and Operations Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.