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 | Foster City, CA | $135,000 | 138.5 | $97,473 | #5 (-4) |
| 2 | Menlo Park, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #6 (-4) |
| 3 | Mountain View, CA | $125,000 | 138.5 | $90,253 | #9 (-6) |
| 4 | Cupertino, CA | $124,713 | 138.5 | $90,045 | #10 (-6) |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $121,000 | 138.5 | $87,365 | #12 (-7) |
| 6 | Bellevue, WA | $120,030 | 114.6 | $104,738 | #2 (+4) |
| 7 | South San Francisco, CA | $116,542 | 138.5 | $84,146 | #14 (-7) |
| 8 | Sunnyvale, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #15 (-7) |
| 9 | Redwood City, CA | $114,662 | 138.5 | $82,788 | #16 (-7) |
| 10 | San Mateo, CA | $113,172 | 138.5 | $81,713 | #18 (-8) |
| 11 | Palo Alto, CA | $111,717 | 138.5 | $80,662 | #19 (-8) |
| 12 | Santa Clara, CA | $105,393 | 138.5 | $76,096 | #20 (-8) |
| 13 | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $105,000 | 113.7 | $92,348 | #7 (+6) |
| 14 | New York, NE | $104,239 | 90.8 | $114,801 | #1 (+13) |
| 15 | Newark, CA | $104,090 | 138.5 | $75,155 | #21 (-6) |
| 16 | Torrance, CA | $104,039 | 138.5 | $75,118 | #22 (-6) |
| 17 | Beaverton, OR | $102,992 | 113.1 | $91,062 | #8 (+9) |
| 18 | Seattle, WA | $101,712 | 114.6 | $88,753 | #11 (+7) |
| 19 | San Jose, CA | $101,483 | 138.5 | $73,273 | #23 (-4) |
| 20 | Concord, CA | $100,339 | 138.5 | $72,447 | #24 (-4) |
| 21 | Bothell, WA | $100,000 | 114.6 | $87,260 | #13 (+8) |
| 22 | Boston, MA | $98,977 | 146.5 | $67,561 | #29 (-7) |
| 23 | Livermore, CA | $98,880 | 138.5 | $71,394 | #25 (-2) |
| 24 | Fremont, CA | $98,325 | 138.5 | $70,993 | #26 (-2) |
| 25 | Gardena, CA | $97,500 | 138.5 | $70,397 | #27 (-2) |
| 26 | Milpitas, CA | $96,866 | 138.5 | $69,939 | #28 (-2) |
| 27 | Cambridge, MA | $96,420 | 146.5 | $65,815 | #30 (-3) |
| 28 | Philadelphia, PA | $93,600 | 95.6 | $97,908 | #4 (+24) |
| 29 | Aloha, OR | $93,392 | 113.1 | $82,575 | #17 (+12) |
| 30 | Benton Harbor, MI | $92,865 | 90.6 | $102,500 | #3 (+27) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Industrial Engineers is in Foster City, CA at $135,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $114,801 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Benton Harbor, MI ranks #30 by nominal pay but climbs to #3 once cost of living is factored in (up 27 spots), making its $92,865 go a lot further.
- Beware: San Mateo, CA looks strong at #10 on nominal pay ($113,172) but its high cost of living drops it 8 spots to #18 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Industrial Engineers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.