NextChapter

Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living

San Mateo leads the United States for pay after the cost of living in this job family: its median posted salary buys what $216k buys at average US prices.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 San Mateo, CA: $216k
  • #2 Foster, CA: $208k
  • #3 San Francisco, CA: $202k
  • 94 cities ranked in the United States
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: $163k across the typical city in our data.

  1. 1San Mateo CA$216k
  2. 2Foster CA$208k
  3. 3San Francisco CA$202k
  4. 4Mountain View CA$198k
  5. 5Chantilly VA$198k
  6. 6Bellevue WA$197k
  7. 7Redmond WA$195k
  8. 8Sunnyvale CA$189k
  9. 9Watertown MA$189k
  10. 10San Jose CA$189k

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: San Mateo leads on $216k, and #10 San Jose is at $189k.
  • Watertown reaches #9 on a sample of 25 openings with pay posted, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • San Francisco is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,821 openings with pay posted behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 30 openings with pay posted are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Pay for the same job family varies by city, and so does the cost of living. This list ranks cities on posted pay for the family after adjusting for local prices.

How to use it

Use it to see where your family's pay stretches furthest, and compare it with the city's opening count on the job-family list.

The top 25

  1. 1

    San Mateo CA

    $216k

    Median posted pay
    $250k
    Local prices vs US average
    +16%
    Openings with pay posted
    238

    Hiring most here: Roblox, Verkada, Skydio

    Based on 238 openings.

    Jobs and employers in San Mateo

  2. 2

    Foster CA

    $208k

    Median posted pay
    $230k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    113

    Hiring most here: Gilead Sciences

    Based on 113 openings.

  3. 3

    San Francisco CA

    $202k

    Median posted pay
    $234k
    Local prices vs US average
    +16%
    Openings with pay posted
    1,821

    Hiring most here: OpenAI, Anthropic, University Of California San Francisco Foundation

    Based on 1,821 openings.

    Jobs and employers in San Francisco

  4. 4

    Mountain View CA

    $198k

    Median posted pay
    $219k
    Local prices vs US average
    +10%
    Openings with pay posted
    361

    Hiring most here: Intuit, Waymo, Google

    Based on 361 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Mountain View

  5. 5

    Chantilly VA

    $198k

    Median posted pay
    $200k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    35

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Trinzic, Peraton

    Based on 35 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Chantilly

  6. 6

    Bellevue WA

    $197k

    Median posted pay
    $211k
    State prices vs US average
    +7%
    Openings with pay posted
    74

    Hiring most here: Amazon, TerraPower, Okta

    Based on 74 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Bellevue

  7. 7

    Redmond WA

    $195k

    Median posted pay
    $209k
    State prices vs US average
    +7%
    Openings with pay posted
    64

    Hiring most here: Amazon, SpaceX, Microsoft

    Based on 64 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Redmond

  8. 8

    Sunnyvale CA

    $189k

    Median posted pay
    $210k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    225

    Hiring most here: Applied Intuition, Wayve, Amazon

    Based on 225 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Sunnyvale

  9. 9

    Watertown MA

    $189k

    Median posted pay
    $200k
    State prices vs US average
    +6%
    Openings with pay posted
    25

    Hiring most here: Tutor Intelligence, Kymera Therapeutics, Treeline Biosciences

    Based on 25 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Watertown

  10. 10

    San Jose CA

    $189k

    Median posted pay
    $208k
    Local prices vs US average
    +10%
    Openings with pay posted
    165

    Hiring most here: Super Micro Computer, Advanced Micro Devices, Cisco Systems

    Based on 165 openings.

    Jobs and employers in San Jose

  11. 11

    Oakland CA

    $187k

    Median posted pay
    $207k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    35

    Hiring most here: Pacific Gas & Electric, Blue Shield of California, Fivetran

    Based on 35 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Oakland

  12. 12

    Everett WA

    $186k

    Median posted pay
    $199k
    State prices vs US average
    +7%
    Openings with pay posted
    32

    Hiring most here: Helion Energy, Fortive, TerraPower

    Based on 32 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Everett

  13. 13

    Waltham MA

    $184k

    Median posted pay
    $195k
    State prices vs US average
    +6%
    Openings with pay posted
    69

    Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry

    Based on 69 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Waltham

  14. 14

    Austin TX

    $183k

    Median posted pay
    $180k
    Local prices vs US average
    −2%
    Openings with pay posted
    293

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Advanced Micro Devices, Cloudflare

    Based on 293 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Austin

  15. 15

    Santa Clara CA

    $183k

    Median posted pay
    $203k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    220

    Hiring most here: Pure Storage, Advanced Micro Devices, Amazon

    Based on 220 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Santa Clara

  16. 16

    Seattle WA

    $180k

    Median posted pay
    $200k
    Local prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    328

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Blue Origin, Shield AI

    Based on 328 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Seattle

  17. 17

    New York NY

    $179k

    Median posted pay
    $202k
    Local prices vs US average
    +13%
    Openings with pay posted
    53

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 53 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  18. 18

    Reston VA

    $179k

    Median posted pay
    $181k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    62

    Hiring most here: ICF International, CACI International, Anduril Industries

    Based on 62 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Reston

  19. 19

    Palo Alto CA

    $179k

    Median posted pay
    $198k
    Local prices vs US average
    +10%
    Openings with pay posted
    125

    Hiring most here: SpaceX, Rivian Automotive, Stanford Health Care

    Based on 125 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Palo Alto

  20. 20

    New York NY

    $178k

    Median posted pay
    $200k
    Local prices vs US average
    +13%
    Openings with pay posted
    1,024

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 1,024 openings.

    Jobs and employers in New York

  21. 21

    Alameda CA

    $177k

    Median posted pay
    $196k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    31

    Hiring most here: Saildrone, Penumbra, Kairos Power

    Based on 31 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Alameda

  22. 22

    Menlo Park CA

    $176k

    Median posted pay
    $204k
    Local prices vs US average
    +16%
    Openings with pay posted
    58

    Hiring most here: Snowflake, Robinhood Ventures Fund I, Hippocratic AI

    Based on 58 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Menlo Park

  23. 23

    San Carlos CA

    $176k

    Median posted pay
    $195k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    61

    Hiring most here: 1X Technologies, Joby Aviation, Natera

    Based on 61 openings.

    Jobs and employers in San Carlos

  24. 24

    Fremont CA

    $174k

    Median posted pay
    $193k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    69

    Hiring most here: Agility Robotics, Coherent, LAM Research

    Based on 69 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Fremont

  25. 25

    Boston MA

    $170k

    Median posted pay
    $185k
    Local prices vs US average
    +8%
    Openings with pay posted
    330

    Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, State Street, Confidential

    Based on 330 openings.

    Jobs and employers in Boston

Full ranking

All 94 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1San Mateo CA$216k238
2Foster CA$208k113
3San Francisco CA$202k1,821
4Mountain View CA$198k361
5Chantilly VA$198k35
6Bellevue WA$197k74
7Redmond WA$195k64
8Sunnyvale CA$189k225
9Watertown MA$189k25
10San Jose CA$189k165
11Oakland CA$187k35
12Everett WA$186k32
13Waltham MA$184k69
14Austin TX$183k293
15Santa Clara CA$183k220
16Seattle WA$180k328
17New York NY$179k53
18Reston VA$179k62
19Palo Alto CA$179k125
20New York NY$178k1,024
21Alameda CA$177k31
22Menlo Park CA$176k58
23San Carlos CA$176k61
24Fremont CA$174k69
25Boston MA$170k330
26Nashville TN$169k37
27Arlington VA$167k91
28Huntsville AL$165k71
29Santa Monica CA$165k23
30Quincy MA$162k52
31Broomfield CO$162k34
32Somerville MA$161k44
33Kirkland WA$160k35
34Washington DC$157k276
35Torrance CA$157k193
36San Leandro CA$156k23
37Santa Ana CA$155k73
38Newark CA$155k47
39Pittsburgh PA$154k36
40Irvine CA$154k196
41Ann Arbor MI$153k50
42Milpitas CA$153k46
43Fort Meade MD$151k26
44McLean VA$151k42
45Herndon VA$151k82
46Cambridge MA$151k38
47Raleigh NC$150k34
48El Segundo CA$149k206
49Manassas VA$148k28
50Pleasanton CA$148k20
51Westminster CO$147k73
52Berkeley CA$146k67
53Golden CO$145k21
54Atlanta GA$145k143
55Irving TX$145k28
56Los Angeles CA$144k440
57Boulder CO$144k61
58Dallas TX$143k108
59Long Beach CA$142k326
60Aurora CO$142k27
61Lexington MA$141k26
62Chicago IL$140k201
63Denver CO$139k206
64Charlotte NC$139k73
65San Diego CA$139k183
66Reno NV$138k27
67Wilmington MA$136k20
68Houston TX$136k74
69San Luis Obispo CA$135k23
70Louisville KY$135k80
71Baltimore MD$134k30
72Richmond VA$134k25
73Brooklyn NY$133k21
74Philadelphia PA$133k37
75Alpharetta GA$132k24
76Vienna VA$132k38
77Cape Canaveral FL$132k27
78Phoenix AZ$129k46
79Tysons VA$129k29
80Sacramento CA$128k49
81Indianapolis IN$126k29
82Fort Collins CO$125k24
83Minneapolis MN$124k28
84Columbus OH$120k41
85Tampa FL$120k40
86Las Vegas NV$119k30
87Miami FL$118k27
88Fort Worth TX$118k55
89San Antonio TX$118k24
90Annapolis MD$117k32
91Cincinnati OH$117k20
92Colorado Springs CO$114k50
93Cleveland OH$113k20
94St. Louis MO$101k29

The jobs behind this ranking

Open engineering jobs, who is hiring for them and what they pay.

Job titles link to their salary page where pay is posted, otherwise to the open jobs.

How this ranking works

The score is the median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) for this job family in a city, divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100.

Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 20 listings in the family that post a salary are ranked.

A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 30 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges; Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which city ranks first: best cities for engineering pay after cost of living?
San Mateo leads the United States for pay after the cost of living in this job family: its median posted salary buys what $216k buys at average US prices.
How many cities are ranked?
94 cities have at least 30 openings with pay posted, so the list has 94 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
The score is the median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) for this job family in a city, divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 20 listings in the family that post a salary are ranked. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-engineering-pay-vs-cost-of-living

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-engineering-pay-vs-cost-of-living">Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

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