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 | Seattle, WA | $109,180 | 114.6 | $95,271 | #1 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $80,000 | 125.1 | $63,949 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | New York, NE | $80,000 | 90.8 | $88,106 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $77,900 | 146.0 | $53,356 | #4 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $65,000 | 138.5 | $46,931 | #6 (-1) |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $61,048 | 146.5 | $41,671 | #7 (-1) |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $51,000 | 138.5 | $36,823 | #8 (-1) |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $46,503 | 92.3 | $50,383 | #5 (+3) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Social and Community Service Managers is in Seattle, WA at $109,180, but after cost-of-living adjustment Seattle, WA offers the best purchasing power at $95,271 equivalent.
- Beware: New York, NY looks strong at #2 on nominal pay ($80,000) but its high cost of living drops it 1 spots to #3 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Social and Community Service Managers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.