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 | Fremont, CA | $105,000 | 138.5 | $75,812 | #7 (-6) |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $103,000 | 138.5 | $74,368 | #11 (-9) |
| 3 | Santa Clara, CA | $100,526 | 138.5 | $72,582 | #14 (-11) |
| 4 | Sunnyvale, CA | $97,011 | 138.5 | $70,044 | #15 (-11) |
| 5 | Milpitas, CA | $97,011 | 138.5 | $70,044 | #16 (-11) |
| 6 | Livermore, CA | $93,300 | 138.5 | $67,365 | #18 (-12) |
| 7 | Freeport, TX | $91,919 | 92.7 | $99,158 | #1 (+6) |
| 8 | Menlo Park, CA | $87,600 | 138.5 | $63,249 | #21 (-13) |
| 9 | Wilmington, DE | $86,868 | 101.1 | $85,923 | #4 (+5) |
| 10 | Idaho Falls, ID | $86,460 | 103.1 | $83,860 | #5 (+5) |
| 11 | Los Alamos, NM | $86,133 | 94.0 | $91,631 | #3 (+8) |
| 12 | Northboro, MA | $86,100 | 146.5 | $58,771 | #23 (-11) |
| 13 | San Diego, CA | $85,000 | 138.5 | $61,372 | #22 (-9) |
| 14 | Midland, MI | $83,268 | 90.6 | $91,907 | #2 (+12) |
| 15 | Albany, NY | $79,250 | 125.1 | $63,349 | #20 (-5) |
| 16 | Newark, DE | $75,000 | 101.1 | $74,184 | #12 (+4) |
| 17 | Durham, NC | $72,467 | 95.7 | $75,723 | #8 (+9) |
| 18 | CLEVELAND, OH | $71,344 | 94.0 | $75,898 | #6 (+12) |
| 19 | Lemont, IL | $69,508 | 92.3 | $75,307 | #10 (+9) |
| 20 | Akron, OH | $68,973 | 94.0 | $73,376 | #13 (+7) |
| 21 | Oak Ridge, TN | $68,040 | 90.3 | $75,349 | #9 (+12) |
| 22 | Gaithersburg, MD | $67,800 | 116.5 | $58,197 | #24 (-2) |
| 23 | Cambridge, MA | $67,100 | 146.5 | $45,802 | #29 (-6) |
| 24 | Richland, WA | $65,270 | 114.6 | $56,954 | #25 (-1) |
| 25 | Upton, NY | $64,650 | 125.1 | $51,679 | #26 (-1) |
| 26 | Stanford, CA | $63,500 | 138.5 | $45,848 | #28 (-2) |
| 27 | Knoxville, TN | $62,802 | 90.3 | $69,549 | #17 (+10) |
| 28 | New York, NY | $61,341 | 125.1 | $49,033 | #27 (+1) |
| 29 | Richardson, TX | $60,566 | 92.7 | $65,335 | #19 (+10) |
| 30 | PASADENA, CA | $58,552 | 138.5 | $42,276 | #30 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Materials Scientists is in Fremont, CA at $105,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Freeport, TX offers the best purchasing power at $99,158 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Midland, MI ranks #14 by nominal pay but climbs to #2 once cost of living is factored in (up 12 spots), making its $83,268 go a lot further.
- Beware: Menlo Park, CA looks strong at #8 on nominal pay ($87,600) but its high cost of living drops it 13 spots to #21 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Materials Scientists wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.