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 | Jacksonville, FL | $110,000 | 102.8 | $107,004 | #1 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $107,132 | 138.5 | $77,352 | #3 (-1) |
| 3 | New York, NY | $95,000 | 125.1 | $75,939 | #4 (-1) |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $92,400 | 92.7 | $99,676 | #2 (+2) |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $83,500 | 138.5 | $60,289 | #6 (-1) |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $81,250 | 114.6 | $70,899 | #5 (+1) |
| 7 | Davis, CA | $63,384 | 138.5 | $45,765 | #7 |
| 8 | Gainesville, FL | $40,352 | 102.8 | $39,253 | #8 |
| 9 | North Grafton, MA | $36,118 | 146.5 | $24,654 | #17 (-8) |
| 10 | ITHACA, NY | $36,000 | 125.1 | $28,777 | #15 (-5) |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | $32,000 | 95.7 | $33,438 | #10 (+1) |
| 12 | Corvallis, OR | $31,775 | 113.1 | $28,095 | #16 (-4) |
| 13 | Urbana, IL | $31,702 | 92.3 | $34,347 | #9 (+4) |
| 14 | Madison, WI | $31,689 | 95.1 | $33,322 | #11 (+3) |
| 15 | Baton Rouge, LA | $30,330 | 91.3 | $33,220 | #12 (+3) |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | $30,330 | 95.6 | $31,726 | #14 (+2) |
| 17 | St. Paul, MN | $30,330 | 94.6 | $32,061 | #13 (+4) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Veterinarians is in Jacksonville, FL at $110,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Jacksonville, FL offers the best purchasing power at $107,004 equivalent.
- Beware: North Grafton, MA looks strong at #9 on nominal pay ($36,118) but its high cost of living drops it 8 spots to #17 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Veterinarians wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.