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 | Milpitas, CA | $114,757 | 138.5 | $82,857 | #1 |
| 2 | Menlo Park, CA | $90,000 | 138.5 | $64,982 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | Boulder, CO | $75,000 | 105.5 | $71,090 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | PASADENA, CA | $67,460 | 138.5 | $48,708 | #5 (-1) |
| 5 | Cambridge, MA | $55,000 | 146.5 | $37,543 | #8 (-3) |
| 6 | Batavia, IL | $52,083 | 92.3 | $56,428 | #4 (+2) |
| 7 | New York, NY | $50,000 | 125.1 | $39,968 | #7 |
| 8 | Davis, CA | $48,522 | 138.5 | $35,034 | #9 (-1) |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $46,228 | 95.6 | $48,355 | #6 (+3) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Physical Scientists, All Other is in Milpitas, CA at $114,757, but after cost-of-living adjustment Milpitas, CA offers the best purchasing power at $82,857 equivalent.
- Beware: Cambridge, MA looks strong at #5 on nominal pay ($55,000) but its high cost of living drops it 3 spots to #8 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Physical Scientists, All Other wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.