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 | South San Francisco, CA | $92,539 | 138.5 | $66,815 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $74,859 | 138.5 | $54,050 | #6 (-4) |
| 3 | Emeryville, CA | $71,316 | 138.5 | $51,492 | #11 (-8) |
| 4 | Bethesda, MD | $69,182 | 116.5 | $59,384 | #3 (+1) |
| 5 | Cambridge, MA | $65,000 | 146.5 | $44,369 | #18 (-13) |
| 6 | New York, NE | $65,000 | 90.8 | $71,586 | #1 (+5) |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $62,621 | 138.5 | $45,214 | #16 (-9) |
| 8 | Stanford, CA | $60,337 | 138.5 | $43,565 | #19 (-11) |
| 9 | Rockville, MD | $59,372 | 116.5 | $50,963 | #12 (-3) |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $55,000 | 146.5 | $37,543 | #28 (-18) |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $53,000 | 91.0 | $58,242 | #4 (+7) |
| 12 | BERKELEY, CA | $52,584 | 138.5 | $37,967 | #22 (-10) |
| 13 | La Jolla, CA | $52,278 | 138.5 | $37,746 | #25 (-12) |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $52,140 | 116.5 | $44,755 | #17 (-3) |
| 15 | Davis, CA | $52,116 | 138.5 | $37,629 | #27 (-12) |
| 16 | Los Angeles, CA | $51,618 | 138.5 | $37,269 | #29 (-13) |
| 17 | New York, NY | $51,438 | 125.1 | $41,118 | #21 (-4) |
| 18 | Philadelphia, PA | $49,296 | 95.6 | $51,565 | #10 (+8) |
| 19 | Ann Arbor, MI | $48,750 | 90.6 | $53,808 | #7 (+12) |
| 20 | University Park, PA | $48,693 | 95.6 | $50,934 | #13 (+7) |
| 21 | PASADENA, CA | $48,250 | 138.5 | $34,838 | #30 (-9) |
| 22 | Seattle, WA | $48,018 | 114.6 | $41,901 | #20 (+2) |
| 23 | Madison, WI | $48,000 | 95.1 | $50,473 | #15 (+8) |
| 24 | Columbus, OH | $47,496 | 94.0 | $50,528 | #14 (+10) |
| 25 | ITHACA, NY | $47,484 | 125.1 | $37,957 | #23 (+2) |
| 26 | Rochester, NY | $47,476 | 125.1 | $37,950 | #24 (+2) |
| 27 | Manhattan, KS | $47,476 | 87.1 | $54,507 | #5 (+22) |
| 28 | St. Louis, MO | $47,175 | 88.5 | $53,305 | #8 (+20) |
| 29 | BRONX,NEW YORK, NY | $47,155 | 125.1 | $37,694 | #26 (+3) |
| 30 | Athens, GA | $47,000 | 91.0 | $51,648 | #9 (+21) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Microbiologists is in South San Francisco, CA at $92,539, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $71,586 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Manhattan, KS ranks #27 by nominal pay but climbs to #5 once cost of living is factored in (up 22 spots), making its $47,476 go a lot further.
- Beware: Boston, MA looks strong at #10 on nominal pay ($55,000) but its high cost of living drops it 18 spots to #28 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Microbiologists wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.