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 | Menlo Park, CA | $145,000 | 138.5 | $104,693 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | Redmond, WA | $127,761 | 114.6 | $111,484 | #1 (+1) |
| 3 | San Bruno, CA | $118,000 | 138.5 | $85,199 | #4 (-1) |
| 4 | Mountain View, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #5 (-1) |
| 5 | Cupertino, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #7 (-2) |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $100,000 | 114.6 | $87,260 | #3 (+3) |
| 7 | San Mateo, CA | $95,000 | 138.5 | $68,592 | #10 (-3) |
| 8 | Sunnyvale, CA | $92,082 | 138.5 | $66,485 | #11 (-3) |
| 9 | Palo Alto, CA | $90,000 | 138.5 | $64,982 | #12 (-3) |
| 10 | South San Francisco, CA | $87,633 | 138.5 | $63,273 | #14 (-4) |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA | $86,264 | 138.5 | $62,284 | #16 (-5) |
| 12 | San Jose, CA | $85,264 | 138.5 | $61,562 | #17 (-5) |
| 13 | Redwood City, CA | $85,000 | 138.5 | $61,372 | #18 (-5) |
| 14 | Bellevue, WA | $80,000 | 114.6 | $69,808 | #9 (+5) |
| 15 | Santa Clara, CA | $75,000 | 138.5 | $54,152 | #19 (-4) |
| 16 | New York, NE | $72,000 | 90.8 | $79,295 | #6 (+10) |
| 17 | Foster City, CA | $70,000 | 138.5 | $50,542 | #22 (-5) |
| 18 | Emeryville, CA | $66,924 | 138.5 | $48,321 | #23 (-5) |
| 19 | Oakland, CA | $66,449 | 138.5 | $47,977 | #24 (-5) |
| 20 | BROOKLYN, NE | $66,000 | 90.8 | $72,687 | #8 (+12) |
| 21 | Irvine, CA | $65,146 | 138.5 | $47,037 | #25 (-4) |
| 22 | Culver City, CA | $65,000 | 138.5 | $46,931 | #26 (-4) |
| 23 | Milpitas, CA | $60,570 | 138.5 | $43,733 | #27 (-4) |
| 24 | Teaneck, NJ | $60,000 | 113.7 | $52,770 | #20 (+4) |
| 25 | San Ramon, CA | $60,000 | 138.5 | $43,321 | #28 (-3) |
| 26 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $60,000 | 113.7 | $52,770 | #21 (+5) |
| 27 | Charlotte, NC | $60,000 | 95.7 | $62,696 | #15 (+12) |
| 28 | Irving, TX | $60,000 | 92.7 | $64,725 | #13 (+15) |
| 29 | Cambridge, MA | $59,500 | 146.5 | $40,614 | #30 (-1) |
| 30 | SANTA MONICA, CA | $58,677 | 138.5 | $42,366 | #29 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Graphic Designers is in Menlo Park, CA at $145,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Redmond, WA offers the best purchasing power at $111,484 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Irving, TX ranks #28 by nominal pay but climbs to #13 once cost of living is factored in (up 15 spots), making its $60,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: San Francisco, CA looks strong at #11 on nominal pay ($86,264) but its high cost of living drops it 5 spots to #16 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Graphic Designers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.