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 | Burlingame, CA | $65,000 | 138.5 | $46,931 | #5 (-4) |
| 2 | New York, NE | $60,000 | 90.8 | $66,079 | #1 (+1) |
| 3 | Stanford, CA | $57,000 | 138.5 | $41,155 | #9 (-6) |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | $52,000 | 138.5 | $37,545 | #12 (-8) |
| 5 | Ann Arbor, MI | $50,985 | 90.6 | $56,275 | #2 (+3) |
| 6 | Cambridge, MA | $50,000 | 146.5 | $34,130 | #14 (-8) |
| 7 | Reston, VA | $50,000 | 100.7 | $49,652 | #4 (+3) |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $48,000 | 92.3 | $52,004 | #3 (+5) |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $47,871 | 146.5 | $32,676 | #15 (-6) |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $47,372 | 116.5 | $40,663 | #10 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $46,500 | 100.7 | $46,177 | #6 (+5) |
| 12 | Princeton, NJ | $45,900 | 113.7 | $40,369 | #11 (+1) |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $45,614 | 146.0 | $31,242 | #16 (-3) |
| 14 | New York, NY | $45,000 | 125.1 | $35,971 | #13 (+1) |
| 15 | Pittsburgh, PA | $41,000 | 95.6 | $42,887 | #8 (+7) |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $40,019 | 91.0 | $43,977 | #7 (+9) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Social Science Research Assistants is in Burlingame, CA at $65,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $66,079 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Atlanta, GA ranks #16 by nominal pay but climbs to #7 once cost of living is factored in (up 9 spots), making its $40,019 go a lot further.
- Beware: Los Angeles, CA looks strong at #4 on nominal pay ($52,000) but its high cost of living drops it 8 spots to #12 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Social Science Research Assistants wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.