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 | Palo Alto, CA | $145,000 | 138.5 | $104,693 | #5 (-4) |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $135,000 | 138.5 | $97,473 | #8 (-6) |
| 3 | Cambridge, MA | $129,428 | 146.5 | $88,347 | #15 (-12) |
| 4 | Cupertino, CA | $128,400 | 138.5 | $92,708 | #10 (-6) |
| 5 | Irvine, CA | $126,547 | 138.5 | $91,370 | #12 (-7) |
| 6 | Sunnyvale, CA | $125,000 | 138.5 | $90,253 | #13 (-7) |
| 7 | Fremont, CA | $124,093 | 138.5 | $89,598 | #14 (-7) |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #16 (-8) |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $118,300 | 114.6 | $103,229 | #6 (+3) |
| 10 | New York, NE | $115,274 | 90.8 | $126,953 | #1 (+9) |
| 11 | San Diego, CA | $115,100 | 138.5 | $83,105 | #17 (-6) |
| 12 | Santa Clara, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #18 (-6) |
| 13 | Troy, MI | $105,000 | 90.6 | $115,894 | #2 (+11) |
| 14 | New York, NY | $103,500 | 125.1 | $82,734 | #19 (-5) |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $99,000 | 102.8 | $96,304 | #9 (+6) |
| 16 | Austin, TX | $98,342 | 92.7 | $106,087 | #3 (+13) |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $97,381 | 92.7 | $105,050 | #4 (+13) |
| 18 | Malta, NY | $96,592 | 125.1 | $77,212 | #20 (-2) |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $95,000 | 92.3 | $102,925 | #7 (+12) |
| 20 | Columbus, IN | $83,600 | 91.0 | $91,868 | #11 (+9) |
| 21 | Los Angeles, CA | $64,709 | 138.5 | $46,721 | #21 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Industrial Production Managers is in Palo Alto, CA at $145,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $126,953 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Austin, TX ranks #16 by nominal pay but climbs to #3 once cost of living is factored in (up 13 spots), making its $98,342 go a lot further.
- Beware: Cambridge, MA looks strong at #3 on nominal pay ($129,428) but its high cost of living drops it 12 spots to #15 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Industrial Production Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.