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 | $65,000 | 90.8 | $71,586 | #1 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $64,251 | 138.5 | $46,391 | #8 (-6) |
| 3 | Miami, FL | $63,000 | 102.8 | $61,284 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $58,800 | 138.5 | $42,455 | #12 (-8) |
| 5 | Cambridge, MA | $58,000 | 146.5 | $39,590 | #15 (-10) |
| 6 | Sausalito, CA | $57,970 | 138.5 | $41,856 | #13 (-7) |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $56,195 | 95.6 | $58,781 | #3 (+4) |
| 8 | New York, NY | $56,000 | 125.1 | $44,764 | #9 (-1) |
| 9 | Watertown, MA | $56,000 | 146.5 | $38,225 | #16 (-7) |
| 10 | BERKELEY, CA | $55,500 | 138.5 | $40,072 | #14 (-4) |
| 11 | Brooklyn, NY | $54,829 | 125.1 | $43,828 | #10 (+1) |
| 12 | Boston, MA | $54,766 | 146.5 | $37,383 | #17 (-5) |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $54,309 | 146.0 | $37,198 | #18 (-5) |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $52,500 | 92.7 | $56,634 | #5 (+9) |
| 15 | Ann Arbor, MI | $52,250 | 90.6 | $57,671 | #4 (+11) |
| 16 | DALLAS, TX | $50,970 | 92.7 | $54,983 | #6 (+10) |
| 17 | Seattle, WA | $50,000 | 114.6 | $43,630 | #11 (+6) |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $48,000 | 92.3 | $52,004 | #7 (+11) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Landscape Architects is in New York, NE at $65,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $71,586 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Ann Arbor, MI ranks #15 by nominal pay but climbs to #4 once cost of living is factored in (up 11 spots), making its $52,250 go a lot further.
- Beware: Cambridge, MA looks strong at #5 on nominal pay ($58,000) but its high cost of living drops it 10 spots to #15 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Landscape Architects wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.