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 | Mountain View, CA | $98,850 | 138.5 | $71,372 | #3 (-2) |
| 2 | Palo Alto, CA | $93,486 | 138.5 | $67,499 | #6 (-4) |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $91,500 | 138.5 | $66,065 | #8 (-5) |
| 4 | Natick, MA | $90,282 | 146.5 | $61,626 | #10 (-6) |
| 5 | New York, NE | $80,000 | 90.8 | $88,106 | #1 (+4) |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $79,600 | 114.6 | $69,459 | #5 (+1) |
| 7 | New York, NY | $79,000 | 125.1 | $63,149 | #9 (-2) |
| 8 | Santa Clara, CA | $76,400 | 138.5 | $55,162 | #12 (-4) |
| 9 | San Jose, CA | $72,000 | 138.5 | $51,986 | #16 (-7) |
| 10 | Flushing, NE | $70,000 | 90.8 | $77,093 | #2 (+8) |
| 11 | Fremont, CA | $68,000 | 138.5 | $49,097 | #17 (-6) |
| 12 | Houston, TX | $65,340 | 92.7 | $70,485 | #4 (+8) |
| 13 | Cambridge, MA | $65,000 | 146.5 | $44,369 | #20 (-7) |
| 14 | Irving, TX | $62,500 | 92.7 | $67,422 | #7 (+7) |
| 15 | Sunnyvale, CA | $61,298 | 138.5 | $44,258 | #21 (-6) |
| 16 | Flushing, NY | $61,000 | 125.1 | $48,761 | #18 (-2) |
| 17 | Washington, DC | $60,320 | 146.0 | $41,315 | #24 (-7) |
| 18 | Boston, MA | $60,268 | 146.5 | $41,139 | #25 (-7) |
| 19 | PISCATAWAY, NJ | $60,000 | 113.7 | $52,770 | #14 (+5) |
| 20 | Edison, NJ | $60,000 | 113.7 | $52,770 | #15 (+5) |
| 21 | DALLAS, TX | $55,476 | 92.7 | $59,845 | #11 (+10) |
| 22 | ARTESIA, CA | $51,314 | 138.5 | $37,050 | #26 (-4) |
| 23 | Chicago, IL | $50,500 | 92.3 | $54,713 | #13 (+10) |
| 24 | Iselin, NJ | $49,920 | 113.7 | $43,905 | #23 (+1) |
| 25 | Miami, FL | $48,566 | 102.8 | $47,243 | #19 (+6) |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | $48,000 | 138.5 | $34,657 | #27 (-1) |
| 27 | Norcross, GA | $40,000 | 91.0 | $43,956 | #22 (+5) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Training and Development Specialists is in Mountain View, CA at $98,850, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $88,106 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: DALLAS, TX ranks #21 by nominal pay but climbs to #11 once cost of living is factored in (up 10 spots), making its $55,476 go a lot further.
- Beware: San Jose, CA looks strong at #9 on nominal pay ($72,000) but its high cost of living drops it 7 spots to #16 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Training and Development Specialists wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.