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 | Cupertino, CA | $158,090 | 138.5 | $114,144 | #14 (-13) |
| 2 | New York, NE | $154,461 | 90.8 | $170,111 | #1 (+1) |
| 3 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $141,315 | 113.7 | $124,288 | #7 (-4) |
| 4 | PISCATAWAY, NJ | $140,000 | 113.7 | $123,131 | #8 (-4) |
| 5 | Mountain View, CA | $139,422 | 138.5 | $100,665 | #19 (-14) |
| 6 | Redmond, WA | $136,947 | 114.6 | $119,500 | #11 (-5) |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | $134,391 | 138.5 | $97,033 | #20 (-13) |
| 8 | Cambridge, MA | $133,500 | 146.5 | $91,126 | #24 (-16) |
| 9 | San Mateo, CA | $132,500 | 138.5 | $95,668 | #21 (-12) |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $132,000 | 105.5 | $125,118 | #6 (+4) |
| 11 | New York, NY | $130,000 | 125.1 | $103,917 | #17 (-6) |
| 12 | Palo Alto, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #22 (-10) |
| 13 | Sunnyvale, CA | $127,254 | 138.5 | $91,880 | #23 (-10) |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $125,000 | 146.5 | $85,324 | #28 (-14) |
| 15 | Schaumburg, IL | $125,000 | 92.3 | $135,428 | #4 (+11) |
| 16 | Novi, MI | $125,000 | 90.6 | $137,969 | #2 (+14) |
| 17 | Bellevue, WA | $124,250 | 114.6 | $108,421 | #15 (+2) |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $124,238 | 91.0 | $136,525 | #3 (+15) |
| 19 | Santa Clara, CA | $121,826 | 138.5 | $87,961 | #25 (-6) |
| 20 | San Francisco, CA | $120,560 | 138.5 | $87,047 | #26 (-6) |
| 21 | Irvine, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #27 (-6) |
| 22 | Redwood City, CA | $117,686 | 138.5 | $84,972 | #29 (-7) |
| 23 | SANTA MONICA, CA | $117,500 | 138.5 | $84,838 | #30 (-7) |
| 24 | Troy, MI | $116,485 | 90.6 | $128,570 | #5 (+19) |
| 25 | Seattle, WA | $116,418 | 114.6 | $101,586 | #18 (+7) |
| 26 | Plano, TX | $113,733 | 92.7 | $122,689 | #9 (+17) |
| 27 | Austin, TX | $111,815 | 92.7 | $120,620 | #10 (+17) |
| 28 | DALLAS, TX | $110,000 | 92.7 | $118,662 | #13 (+15) |
| 29 | Chicago, IL | $110,000 | 92.3 | $119,177 | #12 (+17) |
| 30 | Coral Gables, FL | $109,783 | 102.8 | $106,793 | #16 (+14) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Sales Managers is in Cupertino, CA at $158,090, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $170,111 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Troy, MI ranks #24 by nominal pay but climbs to #5 once cost of living is factored in (up 19 spots), making its $116,485 go a lot further.
- Beware: Cambridge, MA looks strong at #8 on nominal pay ($133,500) but its high cost of living drops it 16 spots to #24 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Sales Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.