Engineering · 25 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Engineers (Other) (2024)

The median Engineers (Other) salary is $162,610 in Washington, DC, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Houston, TX offers the best purchasing power at $136,010 adjusted.

$121,258

National Median

$162,610

Highest City

$90,500

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th–90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	Washington, DC	$162,610	$82,760 – $198,580	152.8	$106,420	7,950
2	San Jose, CA	$157,770	$91,110 – $222,300	195.8	$80,577	3,490
3	San Francisco, CA	$156,140	$95,710 – $287,769	179.6	$86,938	5,060
4	Boston, MA	$132,840	$82,480 – $190,530	152.1	$87,337	2,660
5	Houston, TX	$131,250	$56,920 – $191,880	96.5	$136,010	3,440
6	Atlanta, GA	$131,120	$63,040 – $169,460	99.2	$132,177	2,470
7	San Diego, CA	$130,550	$78,730 – $184,150	160.2	$81,492	3,240
8	New York, NY	$130,260	$76,170 – $189,770	187.2	$69,583	5,020
9	Portland, OR	$129,550	$78,200 – $185,730	130.1	$99,577	2,160
10	Minneapolis, MN	$125,670	$70,540 – $162,360	106.2	$118,333	1,110
11	Charlotte, NC	$125,340	$68,630 – $178,930	96.7	$129,617	1,470
12	Austin, TX	$122,390	$59,600 – $172,490	103	$118,825	590
13	Los Angeles, CA	$122,000	$66,930 – $191,880	166	$73,494	7,910
14	Seattle, WA	$121,350	$69,220 – $168,230	149.4	$81,225	1,960
15	Denver, CO	$118,790	$66,340 – $176,610	112.8	$105,310	1,400
16	Chicago, IL	$117,980	$67,850 – $166,230	107.3	$109,953	1,710
17	Dallas, TX	$107,060	$56,540 – $176,610	104.1	$102,843	2,630
18	Detroit, MI	$105,170	$58,380 – $159,850	95.1	$110,589	5,210
19	Philadelphia, PA	$104,420	$65,030 – $169,640	118.4	$88,193	2,010
20	Nashville, TN	$103,400	$61,370 – $183,510	100.3	$103,091	1,490
21	Phoenix, AZ	$102,460	$62,030 – $167,340	100.7	$101,748	1,530
22	Tampa, FL	$102,310	$60,890 – $163,210	99.6	$102,721	950
23	Raleigh, NC	$100,440	$61,360 – $162,560	99.8	$100,641	740
24	Salt Lake City, UT	$100,090	$66,570 – $159,450	101.4	$98,708	450
25	Miami, FL	$90,500	$57,990 – $147,050	123.1	$73,517	1,460

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Engineers (Other) paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Houston, TX	$136,010	$131,250	96.5
2	Atlanta, GA	$132,177	$131,120	99.2
3	Charlotte, NC	$129,617	$125,340	96.7
4	Austin, TX	$118,825	$122,390	103
5	Minneapolis, MN	$118,333	$125,670	106.2
6	Detroit, MI	$110,589	$105,170	95.1
7	Chicago, IL	$109,953	$117,980	107.3
8	Washington, DC	$106,420	$162,610	152.8
9	Denver, CO	$105,310	$118,790	112.8
10	Nashville, TN	$103,091	$103,400	100.3
11	Dallas, TX	$102,843	$107,060	104.1
12	Tampa, FL	$102,721	$102,310	99.6
13	Phoenix, AZ	$101,748	$102,460	100.7
14	Raleigh, NC	$100,641	$100,440	99.8
15	Portland, OR	$99,577	$129,550	130.1
16	Salt Lake City, UT	$98,708	$100,090	101.4
17	Philadelphia, PA	$88,193	$104,420	118.4
18	Boston, MA	$87,337	$132,840	152.1
19	San Francisco, CA	$86,938	$156,140	179.6
20	San Diego, CA	$81,492	$130,550	160.2
21	Seattle, WA	$81,225	$121,350	149.4
22	San Jose, CA	$80,577	$157,770	195.8
23	Miami, FL	$73,517	$90,500	123.1
24	Los Angeles, CA	$73,494	$122,000	166
25	New York, NY	$69,583	$130,260	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

Washington, DC pays the highest median Engineers (Other) salary at $162,610. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Houston, TX offers the most purchasing power at $136,010 adjusted.

The national median Engineers (Other) salary is $121,258 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $90,500 to $162,610 depending on city.

Not necessarily. A city with higher nominal pay may have a higher cost of living that offsets the salary difference. Compare the "COL-Adjusted" column in both tables above — cities with lower costs of living often offer better real purchasing power.