Engineering · 70 Cities Ranked

Highest Paying Cities for Industrial Engineer (2025)

The median Industrial Engineer salary is $171,910 in Anchorage, AK, the highest-paying city for this role. After adjusting for cost of living, Albuquerque, NM offers the best purchasing power at $140,734 adjusted.

The 70 cities below are ranked by median wage for Industrial Engineer, drawn from BLS OEWS. Top-of-list cities typically combine high local labor demand with above-baseline cost-of-living, so the gross-wage ranking partly reflects COL adjustment. Reading the ranking carefully: gross median wage is the headline number, but the cost-adjusted figure (which divides by the city's cost-of-living index) tells a different story for high-COL cities. The ranking sorts on gross wage; the per-city pages surface the adjusted figure.

For workers evaluating Industrial Engineer relocation, the top of the ranking is the obvious starting point — but the bottom of the list (low gross wage, low COL) is often where cost-adjusted real income is highest. The role-specific pages link to per-city detail.

$107,025

National Median

$171,910

Highest City

$91,140

Lowest City

Cities Ranked

Ranked by Median Salary

Rank	City	Median	Range (10th-90th)	COL Index	COL-Adjusted	Jobs
1	Anchorage, AK	$171,910	$107,490, $218,900	127	$135,362	110
2	San Jose, CA	$136,950	$97,480, $206,190	195.8	$69,944	4,800
3	Albuquerque, NM	$132,290	$81,270, $208,000	94	$140,734	820
4	San Francisco, CA	$132,230	$90,240, $198,560	179.6	$73,625	5,470
5	Seattle, WA	$131,210	$88,820, $178,710	149.4	$87,825	4,590
6	Portland, OR	$129,890	$85,020, $205,270	130.1	$99,839	5,230
7	New Orleans, LA	$127,340	$83,530, $170,530	95.9	$132,784	460
8	Bridgeport, CT	$123,540	$82,790, $159,070	137.5	$89,847	1,210
9	Baltimore, MD	$119,990	$80,650, $168,100	114.2	$105,070	2,110
10	San Diego, CA	$119,050	$73,530, $166,120	160.2	$74,313	3,990
11	Boston, MA	$118,970	$82,600, $163,010	152.1	$78,218	9,010
12	Washington, DC	$117,600	$82,140, $173,400	152.8	$76,963	2,000
13	Los Angeles, CA	$113,040	$78,320, $166,090	166	$68,096	11,460
14	Houston, TX	$111,690	$73,840, $174,320	96.5	$115,741	8,620
15	Sacramento, CA	$110,190	$68,080, $169,460	124.7	$88,364	910
16	Phoenix, AZ	$109,020	$79,740, $171,390	100.7	$108,262	5,810
17	Denver, CO	$108,680	$80,810, $157,780	112.8	$96,348	2,500
18	Providence, RI	$106,290	$78,150, $156,730	119.4	$89,020	1,570
19	Salt Lake City, UT	$105,920	$75,740, $139,570	101.4	$104,458	2,910
20	New York, NY	$105,840	$78,270, $162,390	187.2	$56,538	8,540
21	Dallas, TX	$105,640	$77,640, $166,050	104.1	$101,479	10,680
22	Colorado Springs, CO	$105,320	$78,050, $147,340	104.5	$100,785	560
23	Cincinnati, OH	$105,140	$77,960, $159,860	91.2	$115,285	5,430
24	Orlando, FL	$104,920	$73,130, $160,650	103.1	$101,765	2,040
25	Minneapolis, MN	$104,730	$78,730, $161,020	106.2	$98,616	13,970
26	Bakersfield, CA	$104,700	$71,320, $155,100	100.6	$104,076	280
27	Spokane, WA	$104,460	$74,990, $152,120	97.4	$107,248	220
28	Albany, NY	$104,170	$82,410, $160,710	100.7	$103,446	1,570
29	Detroit, MI	$104,110	$78,860, $150,430	95.1	$109,474	17,350
30	Raleigh, NC	$104,030	$78,470, $152,010	99.8	$104,238	1,710
31	Hartford, CT	$103,790	$77,500, $131,280	112.6	$92,176	2,830
32	Miami, FL	$103,740	$75,490, $163,020	123.1	$84,273	3,360
33	Austin, TX	$103,610	$62,790, $169,370	103	$100,592	3,440
34	Philadelphia, PA	$103,370	$78,600, $160,490	118.4	$87,306	6,170
35	Richmond, VA	$103,180	$76,920, $157,420	102.1	$101,058	740
36	Reno, NV	$103,060	$63,200, $132,520	106.5	$96,770	1,050
37	Nashville, TN	$102,540	$76,280, $133,400	100.3	$102,233	2,000
38	Atlanta, GA	$102,300	$76,130, $156,750	99.2	$103,125	4,800
39	St. Louis, MO	$102,230	$71,320, $156,730	90	$113,589	2,580
40	Charlotte, NC	$102,090	$75,670, $140,000	96.7	$105,574	2,680
41	Omaha, NE	$101,980	$75,660, $142,650	91.8	$111,089	370
42	Chicago, IL	$101,760	$74,420, $155,480	107.3	$94,837	12,750
43	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$101,700	$67,370, $153,430	122.4	$83,088	1,580
44	Little Rock, AR	$101,590	$70,480, $142,800	88.2	$115,181	360
45	Wichita, KS	$101,510	$75,940, $137,160	84	$120,845	1,110
46	Greenville, SC	$101,300	$76,590, $133,360	90.1	$112,431	2,670
47	Buffalo, NY	$101,260	$75,150, $142,420	92.5	$109,470	1,580
48	Lexington, KY	$101,000	$71,750, $134,790	91.3	$110,624	1,160
49	Jacksonville, FL	$100,950	$63,290, $149,990	95.1	$106,151	1,330
50	Boise, ID	$100,840	$77,220, $149,390	102.1	$98,766	810
51	Indianapolis, IN	$100,730	$67,260, $131,620	90.1	$111,798	2,900
52	Tampa, FL	$100,670	$62,770, $144,030	99.6	$101,074	2,090
53	Columbus, OH	$100,570	$77,000, $135,080	93.1	$108,024	3,710
54	Kansas City, MO	$100,480	$74,200, $155,900	95.4	$105,325	2,080
55	Memphis, TN	$100,480	$75,140, $131,620	84	$119,619	1,540
56	Birmingham, AL	$100,480	$73,680, $135,700	90.4	$111,150	940
57	Madison, WI	$100,370	$74,190, $155,350	103.8	$96,696	1,510
58	Rochester, NY	$100,150	$75,140, $136,050	92.9	$107,804	1,920
59	Milwaukee, WI	$100,020	$75,600, $134,050	97.4	$102,690	3,940
60	Tulsa, OK	$99,830	$74,880, $140,550	86.8	$115,012	850
61	San Antonio, TX	$99,110	$70,810, $151,590	91.5	$108,317	1,670
62	Des Moines, IA	$98,270	$74,110, $134,040	93.3	$105,327	520
63	Pittsburgh, PA	$98,190	$67,840, $140,540	92.3	$106,381	2,140
64	Oklahoma City, OK	$98,190	$74,730, $153,000	86.5	$113,514	700
65	Fresno, CA	$97,650	$64,190, $150,080	105.5	$92,559	260
66	Greensboro, NC	$95,930	$62,800, $135,640	91.3	$105,071	1,050
67	Knoxville, TN	$95,750	$68,410, $132,320	90.3	$106,035	960
68	Tucson, AZ	$95,700	$77,460, $152,910	95.4	$100,314	1,010
69	Louisville, KY	$95,370	$61,470, $140,720	90.2	$105,732	2,000
70	Las Vegas, NV	$91,140	$68,530, $129,860	109	$83,615	350

Ranked by Purchasing Power (COL-Adjusted)

Cost-of-living adjusted salaries show where your Industrial Engineer paycheck goes furthest. A lower COL index means your dollars stretch further.

Rank	City	COL-Adjusted	Raw Median	COL Index
1	Albuquerque, NM	$140,734	$132,290	94
2	Anchorage, AK	$135,362	$171,910	127
3	New Orleans, LA	$132,784	$127,340	95.9
4	Wichita, KS	$120,845	$101,510	84
5	Memphis, TN	$119,619	$100,480	84
6	Houston, TX	$115,741	$111,690	96.5
7	Cincinnati, OH	$115,285	$105,140	91.2
8	Little Rock, AR	$115,181	$101,590	88.2
9	Tulsa, OK	$115,012	$99,830	86.8
10	St. Louis, MO	$113,589	$102,230	90
11	Oklahoma City, OK	$113,514	$98,190	86.5
12	Greenville, SC	$112,431	$101,300	90.1
13	Indianapolis, IN	$111,798	$100,730	90.1
14	Birmingham, AL	$111,150	$100,480	90.4
15	Omaha, NE	$111,089	$101,980	91.8
16	Lexington, KY	$110,624	$101,000	91.3
17	Detroit, MI	$109,474	$104,110	95.1
18	Buffalo, NY	$109,470	$101,260	92.5
19	San Antonio, TX	$108,317	$99,110	91.5
20	Phoenix, AZ	$108,262	$109,020	100.7
21	Columbus, OH	$108,024	$100,570	93.1
22	Rochester, NY	$107,804	$100,150	92.9
23	Spokane, WA	$107,248	$104,460	97.4
24	Pittsburgh, PA	$106,381	$98,190	92.3
25	Jacksonville, FL	$106,151	$100,950	95.1
26	Knoxville, TN	$106,035	$95,750	90.3
27	Louisville, KY	$105,732	$95,370	90.2
28	Charlotte, NC	$105,574	$102,090	96.7
29	Des Moines, IA	$105,327	$98,270	93.3
30	Kansas City, MO	$105,325	$100,480	95.4
31	Greensboro, NC	$105,071	$95,930	91.3
32	Baltimore, MD	$105,070	$119,990	114.2
33	Salt Lake City, UT	$104,458	$105,920	101.4
34	Raleigh, NC	$104,238	$104,030	99.8
35	Bakersfield, CA	$104,076	$104,700	100.6
36	Albany, NY	$103,446	$104,170	100.7
37	Atlanta, GA	$103,125	$102,300	99.2
38	Milwaukee, WI	$102,690	$100,020	97.4
39	Nashville, TN	$102,233	$102,540	100.3
40	Orlando, FL	$101,765	$104,920	103.1
41	Dallas, TX	$101,479	$105,640	104.1
42	Tampa, FL	$101,074	$100,670	99.6
43	Richmond, VA	$101,058	$103,180	102.1
44	Colorado Springs, CO	$100,785	$105,320	104.5
45	Austin, TX	$100,592	$103,610	103
46	Tucson, AZ	$100,314	$95,700	95.4
47	Portland, OR	$99,839	$129,890	130.1
48	Boise, ID	$98,766	$100,840	102.1
49	Minneapolis, MN	$98,616	$104,730	106.2
50	Reno, NV	$96,770	$103,060	106.5
51	Madison, WI	$96,696	$100,370	103.8
52	Denver, CO	$96,348	$108,680	112.8
53	Chicago, IL	$94,837	$101,760	107.3
54	Fresno, CA	$92,559	$97,650	105.5
55	Hartford, CT	$92,176	$103,790	112.6
56	Bridgeport, CT	$89,847	$123,540	137.5
57	Providence, RI	$89,020	$106,290	119.4
58	Sacramento, CA	$88,364	$110,190	124.7
59	Seattle, WA	$87,825	$131,210	149.4
60	Philadelphia, PA	$87,306	$103,370	118.4
61	Miami, FL	$84,273	$103,740	123.1
62	Las Vegas, NV	$83,615	$91,140	109
63	Riverside-San Bernardino, CA	$83,088	$101,700	122.4
64	Boston, MA	$78,218	$118,970	152.1
65	Washington, DC	$76,963	$117,600	152.8
66	San Diego, CA	$74,313	$119,050	160.2
67	San Francisco, CA	$73,625	$132,230	179.6
68	San Jose, CA	$69,944	$136,950	195.8
69	Los Angeles, CA	$68,096	$113,040	166
70	New York, NY	$56,538	$105,840	187.2

Frequently Asked Questions

Anchorage, AK pays the highest median Industrial Engineer salary at $171,910. However, after cost-of-living adjustment, Albuquerque, NM offers the most purchasing power at $140,734 adjusted.

The national median Industrial Engineer salary is $107,025 based on BLS data. Salaries range from $91,140 to $171,910 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.