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 | New York, NE | $122,000 | 90.8 | $134,361 | #1 |
| 2 | Menlo Park, CA | $121,397 | 138.5 | $87,651 | #2 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $57,500 | 138.5 | $41,516 | #4 (-1) |
| 4 | Arlington, VA | $55,000 | 100.7 | $54,618 | #3 (+1) |
| 5 | New York, NY | $50,000 | 125.1 | $39,968 | #5 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 146.0 | $34,247 | #6 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Survey Researchers is in New York, NE at $122,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $134,361 equivalent.
- Beware: San Francisco, CA looks strong at #3 on nominal pay ($57,500) but its high cost of living drops it 1 spots to #4 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Survey Researchers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.