Salary Calculator
Enter a salary and select a city to see estimated take-home pay, cost-of-living purchasing power, and how it compares to BLS percentiles for your occupation.
1Tax Breakdown
Effective tax rate: ~17.0% (state + FICA only, excludes federal income tax)
2Cost of Living Adjustment
San Francisco, CA is 86% more expensive than the US average. Your $100,000 gross goes as far as $53,763 in a city at exactly the national average cost of living.
3How You Compare: Software Developer Percentile in San Francisco, CA
* This calculator provides estimates only. Federal income tax, 401k contributions, health insurance premiums, HSA contributions, local city taxes, and other deductions are not included. Consult a tax professional or use official IRS withholding calculators for accurate figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the salary calculator adjust for cost of living?
The calculator divides your salary by the metro area's cost-of-living index (where 100 = US average) and multiplies by 100. A $120,000 salary in a city with a COL index of 150 has the same purchasing power as $80,000 in an average-cost city. This gives you a realistic picture of how far your money goes in each location.
What taxes does the calculator include?
The calculator estimates state income tax (using published state rates) and FICA taxes (Social Security at 6.2% + Medicare at 1.45% = 7.65%). It does not include federal income tax, local/city taxes, 401k contributions, health insurance premiums, or other deductions. For full tax estimates, consult a tax professional or IRS withholding calculator.
Where does the percentile data come from?
Percentile ranges (P25, median, P75, P90) are derived from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Core occupations track published BLS metro tables directly; broader roles use modeled estimates calibrated to BLS wage ratios. Each salary page labels its data provenance.
Which cities can I compare salaries for?
The calculator covers 30 major US metropolitan areas including San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Boston, Austin, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Portland, San Diego, Nashville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Oklahoma City, El Paso, and Richmond.