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 | $104,000 | 90.8 | $114,537 | #1 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $100,000 | 125.1 | $79,936 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | Miami, FL | $85,000 | 102.8 | $82,685 | #2 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Insurance Underwriters is in New York, NE at $104,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $114,537 equivalent.
- Beware: New York, NY looks strong at #2 on nominal pay ($100,000) but its high cost of living drops it 1 spots to #3 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Insurance Underwriters wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.