Salary comparison
Lawyers: Los Angeles vs Santa Rosa
Los Angeles, CA pays about 7.1% more for lawyers on paper — $194,410 vs $181,560. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Los Angeles comes out ahead by $12,850 a year in real buying power.
Los Angeles, CA
$194,410
$128,630
$271,790
$93.47
100
$194,410/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Rosa, CA
$181,560
$130,840
$225,740
$87.29
100
$181,560/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $12,850 a year (7.1%) in favor of Los Angeles. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Los Angeles runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Santa Rosa sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Los Angeles is the better deal by $12,850 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Santa Rosa to Los Angeles for this role, the raise needs to beat 7.1% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do lawyers earn more, Los Angeles or Santa Rosa?
Los Angeles pays $194,410 on median — about 7.1% more than Santa Rosa ($181,560). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Los Angeles. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Los Angeles gives you roughly$194,410 of real buying power versus $181,560 in the other city.