Salary Calculator
Enter a salary and select a city to see it against local price levels, find the salary that buys the same in another city, and compare it with BLS percentiles for your occupation.
1Your Salary Against Local Prices
Prices in the San Francisco, CA metropolitan area were 15.6% above the national level in 2024, by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parity. $100,000 there buys what $86,495 buys at national-average prices.
2The Same Buying Power in Another City
$100,000 in San Francisco, CA (price level 115.6) buys what $97,362 buys in New York, NY (price level 112.6). Calculated as salary × (second area's price level ÷ first area's price level).
3How You Compare: Software Developer Percentile in San Francisco, CA
Price levels are U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (all items) for 2024, tables last updated February 19, 2026. Wage percentiles are BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates. The calculator compares prices only: it does not estimate taxes or deductions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the salary calculator adjust for local prices?
It divides your salary by the metro area's regional price parity, published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (United States = 100), and multiplies by 100. A $120,000 salary in an area with a price parity of 120 buys what $100,000 buys at national-average prices. To compare two areas, it multiplies your salary by the second area's price parity and divides by the first.
Does the calculator include taxes?
No. It compares price levels and BLS wage percentiles only. It does not estimate federal, state or local income tax, payroll taxes, or deductions such as retirement contributions and health premiums.
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. Every published figure is a BLS OEWS May 2025 estimate for the named metropolitan area, state or the nation (annual wages and employment); BLS suppresses some estimates and those pages are omitted rather than modeled.
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.