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 | $160,545 | 90.8 | $176,812 | #1 |
| 2 | Miami, FL | $125,000 | 102.8 | $121,595 | #2 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $110,000 | 125.1 | $87,930 | #3 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $63,929 | 138.5 | $46,158 | #5 (-1) |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $62,000 | 92.7 | $66,882 | #4 (+1) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Personal Financial Advisors is in New York, NE at $160,545, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $176,812 equivalent.
- Beware: Los Angeles, CA looks strong at #4 on nominal pay ($63,929) but its high cost of living drops it 1 spots to #5 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Personal Financial Advisors wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.