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 | San Francisco, CA | $190,000 | 138.5 | $137,184 | #2 (-1) |
| 2 | Waltham, MA | $160,000 | 146.5 | $109,215 | #9 (-7) |
| 3 | San Diego, CA | $157,500 | 138.5 | $113,718 | #6 (-3) |
| 4 | South San Francisco, CA | $156,853 | 138.5 | $113,251 | #7 (-3) |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $155,126 | 114.6 | $135,363 | #3 (+2) |
| 6 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $151,757 | 138.5 | $109,572 | #8 (-2) |
| 7 | Cambridge, MA | $148,356 | 146.5 | $101,267 | #11 (-4) |
| 8 | Irvine, CA | $143,973 | 138.5 | $103,951 | #10 (-2) |
| 9 | New York, NE | $137,500 | 90.8 | $151,432 | #1 (+8) |
| 10 | Princeton, NJ | $132,558 | 113.7 | $116,586 | #5 (+5) |
| 11 | Foster City, CA | $126,946 | 138.5 | $91,657 | #14 (-3) |
| 12 | Boston, MA | $120,000 | 146.5 | $81,911 | #16 (-4) |
| 13 | Billerica, MA | $116,618 | 146.5 | $79,602 | #17 (-4) |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $116,584 | 92.7 | $125,764 | #4 (+10) |
| 15 | New York, NY | $116,300 | 125.1 | $92,966 | #13 (+2) |
| 16 | Washington, DC | $110,250 | 146.0 | $75,514 | #18 (-2) |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $90,000 | 92.3 | $97,508 | #12 (+5) |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $75,500 | 91.0 | $82,967 | #15 (+3) |
| 19 | Miami, FL | $70,000 | 102.8 | $68,093 | #20 (-1) |
| 20 | Baltimore, MD | $70,000 | 116.5 | $60,086 | #22 (-2) |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,430 | 95.6 | $72,626 | #19 (+2) |
| 22 | Salt Lake City, UT | $67,163 | 103.2 | $65,080 | #21 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Natural Sciences Managers is in San Francisco, CA at $190,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $151,432 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Houston, TX ranks #14 by nominal pay but climbs to #4 once cost of living is factored in (up 10 spots), making its $116,584 go a lot further.
- Beware: Waltham, MA looks strong at #2 on nominal pay ($160,000) but its high cost of living drops it 7 spots to #9 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Natural Sciences Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.