Salary comparison
Registered Nurses: Modesto vs Salem
Modesto, CA pays about 0.6% more for registered nurses on paper — $132,590 vs $131,750. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Modesto comes out ahead by $840 a year in real buying power.
Modesto, CA
$132,590
$124,010
$166,030
$63.75
100
$132,590/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Salem, OR
$131,750
$109,870
$132,930
$63.34
100
$131,750/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $840 a year (0.6%) in favor of Modesto. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Modesto runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Salem sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Modesto is the better deal by $840 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Salem to Modesto for this role, the raise needs to beat 0.6% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do registered nurses earn more, Modesto or Salem?
Modesto pays $132,590 on median — about 0.6% more than Salem ($131,750). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Modesto. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Modesto gives you roughly$132,590 of real buying power versus $131,750 in the other city.