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 | San Francisco, CA | $183,900 | 138.5 | $132,780 | #11 (-10) |
| 2 | Santa Clara, CA | $175,635 | 138.5 | $126,812 | #15 (-13) |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $166,075 | 138.5 | $119,909 | #18 (-15) |
| 4 | New York, NY | $156,998 | 125.1 | $125,498 | #16 (-12) |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $153,500 | 114.6 | $133,944 | #10 (-5) |
| 6 | Irvine, CA | $150,000 | 138.5 | $108,303 | #19 (-13) |
| 7 | Milford, MI | $145,000 | 90.6 | $160,044 | #1 (+6) |
| 8 | Warren, MI | $142,449 | 90.6 | $157,228 | #2 (+6) |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $140,550 | 92.7 | $151,618 | #3 (+6) |
| 10 | McLean, VA | $139,464 | 100.7 | $138,495 | #7 (+3) |
| 11 | Alpharetta, GA | $137,000 | 91.0 | $150,549 | #4 (+7) |
| 12 | Plano, TX | $133,650 | 92.7 | $144,175 | #5 (+7) |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $128,800 | 94.0 | $137,021 | #8 (+5) |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $126,616 | 95.7 | $132,305 | #13 (+1) |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $124,307 | 92.3 | $134,677 | #9 (+6) |
| 16 | Irving, TX | $122,923 | 92.7 | $132,603 | #12 (+4) |
| 17 | Overland Park, KS | $122,134 | 87.1 | $140,223 | #6 (+11) |
| 18 | Frisco, TX | $119,400 | 92.7 | $128,803 | #14 (+4) |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $109,283 | 91.0 | $120,091 | #17 (+2) |
| 20 | Dublin, OH | $88,566 | 94.0 | $94,219 | #20 |
| 21 | Gaithersburg, MD | $88,442 | 116.5 | $75,916 | #21 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Software Developers is in San Francisco, CA at $183,900, but after cost-of-living adjustment Milford, MI offers the best purchasing power at $160,044 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Overland Park, KS ranks #17 by nominal pay but climbs to #6 once cost of living is factored in (up 11 spots), making its $122,134 go a lot further.
- Beware: San Jose, CA looks strong at #3 on nominal pay ($166,075) but its high cost of living drops it 15 spots to #18 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Software Developers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.