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 | East Palo Alto, CA | $140,000 | 138.5 | $101,083 | #9 (-8) |
| 2 | BERKELEY, CA | $140,000 | 138.5 | $101,083 | #10 (-8) |
| 3 | Los Gatos, CA | $138,819 | 138.5 | $100,230 | #11 (-8) |
| 4 | Jersey City, NE | $128,000 | 90.8 | $140,969 | #1 (+3) |
| 5 | Menlo Park, CA | $125,000 | 138.5 | $90,253 | #15 (-10) |
| 6 | Greenwich, CT | $120,000 | 112.8 | $106,383 | #6 |
| 7 | Cupertino, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #18 (-11) |
| 8 | Dublin, CA | $116,917 | 138.5 | $84,417 | #19 (-11) |
| 9 | BASKING RIDGE, NJ | $115,360 | 113.7 | $101,460 | #8 (+1) |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #20 (-10) |
| 11 | Sunnyvale, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #21 (-10) |
| 12 | San Bruno, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #22 (-10) |
| 13 | Mountain View, CA | $112,131 | 138.5 | $80,961 | #24 (-11) |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $110,000 | 114.6 | $95,986 | #12 (+2) |
| 15 | Short Hills, NJ | $106,000 | 113.7 | $93,228 | #13 (+2) |
| 16 | Montvale, NJ | $104,400 | 113.7 | $91,821 | #14 (+2) |
| 17 | San Ramon, CA | $104,000 | 138.5 | $75,090 | #25 (-8) |
| 18 | New York, NY | $102,856 | 125.1 | $82,219 | #23 (-5) |
| 19 | Morristown, NE | $102,500 | 90.8 | $112,885 | #2 (+17) |
| 20 | Redwood City, CA | $102,000 | 138.5 | $73,646 | #26 (-6) |
| 21 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $101,685 | 138.5 | $73,419 | #27 (-6) |
| 22 | North Reading, MA | $101,640 | 146.5 | $69,379 | #30 (-8) |
| 23 | San Francisco, CA | $101,587 | 138.5 | $73,348 | #28 (-5) |
| 24 | Plymouth Meeting, PA | $100,761 | 95.6 | $105,399 | #7 (+17) |
| 25 | Secaucus, NJ | $100,444 | 113.7 | $88,341 | #17 (+8) |
| 26 | Palo Alto, CA | $100,322 | 138.5 | $72,434 | #29 (-3) |
| 27 | St. Louis, MI | $100,277 | 90.6 | $110,681 | #3 (+24) |
| 28 | NEWARK, NE | $100,250 | 90.8 | $110,407 | #4 (+24) |
| 29 | New York, NE | $100,000 | 90.8 | $110,132 | #5 (+24) |
| 30 | Beaverton, OR | $100,000 | 113.1 | $88,417 | #16 (+14) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Operations Research Analysts is in East Palo Alto, CA at $140,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Jersey City, NE offers the best purchasing power at $140,969 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: St. Louis, MI ranks #27 by nominal pay but climbs to #3 once cost of living is factored in (up 24 spots), making its $100,277 go a lot further.
- Beware: Cupertino, CA looks strong at #7 on nominal pay ($120,000) but its high cost of living drops it 11 spots to #18 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Operations Research Analysts wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.