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 | Menlo Park, CA | $118,895 | 138.5 | $85,845 | #1 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $73,840 | 138.5 | $53,314 | #5 (-3) |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $71,600 | 92.3 | $77,573 | #2 (+1) |
| 4 | New York, NY | $70,000 | 125.1 | $55,955 | #4 |
| 5 | New York, NE | $67,600 | 90.8 | $74,449 | #3 (+2) |
| 6 | Torrance, CA | $50,000 | 138.5 | $36,101 | #7 (-1) |
| 7 | Miami, FL | $49,325 | 102.8 | $47,982 | #6 (+1) |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $47,000 | 138.5 | $33,935 | #8 |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Writers and Authors is in Menlo Park, CA at $118,895, but after cost-of-living adjustment Menlo Park, CA offers the best purchasing power at $85,845 equivalent.
- Beware: San Francisco, CA looks strong at #2 on nominal pay ($73,840) but its high cost of living drops it 3 spots to #5 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Writers and Authors wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.