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$188k

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: San Mateo leads on $216k, and #10 San Jose is at $188k.
  • 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 1,820 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.

The top 25

  1. 1

    San Mateo CA

    $216k

    Median posted pay
    $250k
    Local prices vs US average
    +16%
    Openings with pay posted
    236

    Hiring most here: Roblox, Verkada, Skydio

    Based on 236 openings.

  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
    $233k
    Local prices vs US average
    +16%
    Openings with pay posted
    1,820

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

    Based on 1,820 openings.

  4. 4

    Mountain View CA

    $198k

    Median posted pay
    $219k
    Local prices vs US average
    +10%
    Openings with pay posted
    359

    Hiring most here: Intuit, Waymo, Google

    Based on 359 openings.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  8. 8

    Sunnyvale CA

    $189k

    Median posted pay
    $210k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    224

    Hiring most here: Applied Intuition, Wayve, Amazon

    Based on 224 openings.

  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.

  10. 10

    San Jose CA

    $188k

    Median posted pay
    $208k
    Local prices vs US average
    +10%
    Openings with pay posted
    166

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

    Based on 166 openings.

  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.

  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.

  13. 13

    Waltham MA

    $184k

    Median posted pay
    $195k
    State prices vs US average
    +6%
    Openings with pay posted
    68

    Hiring most here: Boston Dynamics, Anduril Industries, Xometry

    Based on 68 openings.

  14. 14

    Austin TX

    $184k

    Median posted pay
    $180k
    Local prices vs US average
    −2%
    Openings with pay posted
    290

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Advanced Micro Devices, Cloudflare

    Based on 290 openings.

  15. 15

    Reston VA

    $183k

    Median posted pay
    $185k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    63

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

    Based on 63 openings.

  16. 16

    Santa Clara CA

    $182k

    Median posted pay
    $201k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    218

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

    Based on 218 openings.

  17. 17

    Seattle WA

    $180k

    Median posted pay
    $200k
    Local prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    329

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Blue Origin, Shield AI

    Based on 329 openings.

  18. 18

    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.

  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.

  20. 20

    New York NY

    $178k

    Median posted pay
    $200k
    Local prices vs US average
    +13%
    Openings with pay posted
    1,022

    Hiring most here: Amazon, Publicis Groupe, Morgan Stanley

    Based on 1,022 openings.

  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.

  22. 22

    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.

  23. 23

    Menlo Park CA

    $175k

    Median posted pay
    $203k
    Local prices vs US average
    +16%
    Openings with pay posted
    59

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

    Based on 59 openings.

  24. 24

    Fremont CA

    $175k

    Median posted pay
    $194k
    State prices vs US average
    +11%
    Openings with pay posted
    74

    Hiring most here: Agility Robotics, Coherent, LAM Research

    Based on 74 openings.

  25. 25

    Boston MA

    $171k

    Median posted pay
    $185k
    Local prices vs US average
    +8%
    Openings with pay posted
    327

    Hiring most here: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, State Street, Confidential

    Based on 327 openings.

Full ranking

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

RankCityScoreSample
1San Mateo CA$216k236
2Foster CA$208k113
3San Francisco CA$202k1,820
4Mountain View CA$198k359
5Chantilly VA$198k35
6Bellevue WA$197k74
7Redmond WA$195k64
8Sunnyvale CA$189k224
9Watertown MA$189k25
10San Jose CA$188k166
11Oakland CA$187k35
12Everett WA$186k32
13Waltham MA$184k68
14Austin TX$184k290
15Reston VA$183k63
16Santa Clara CA$182k218
17Seattle WA$180k329
18New York NY$179k53
19Palo Alto CA$179k125
20New York NY$178k1,022
21Alameda CA$177k31
22San Carlos CA$176k61
23Menlo Park CA$175k59
24Fremont CA$175k74
25Boston MA$171k327
26Nashville TN$169k37
27Arlington VA$167k91
28Huntsville AL$165k71
29Santa Monica CA$165k23
30Quincy MA$162k52
31Broomfield CO$162k34
32Somerville MA$161k43
33Kirkland WA$160k35
34Washington DC$157k272
35Torrance CA$157k193
36San Leandro CA$156k23
37Santa Ana CA$155k73
38Newark CA$155k47
39Pittsburgh PA$154k34
40Irvine CA$154k196
41Manassas VA$153k27
42Ann Arbor MI$153k50
43Milpitas CA$153k46
44Fort Meade MD$151k26
45McLean VA$151k42
46Herndon VA$151k82
47Cambridge MA$151k38
48Raleigh NC$150k34
49El Segundo CA$149k206
50Pleasanton CA$148k20
51Westminster CO$147k73
52Berkeley CA$146k67
53Golden CO$145k21
54Atlanta GA$145k136
55Irving TX$145k28
56Boulder CO$144k61
57Los Angeles CA$143k439
58Dallas TX$143k107
59Aurora CO$142k26
60Long Beach CA$142k326
61Lexington MA$141k25
62San Diego CA$141k183
63Chicago IL$140k199
64Denver CO$139k206
65Charlotte NC$139k73
66Reno NV$138k27
67Wilmington MA$136k20
68San Luis Obispo CA$135k23
69Louisville KY$135k80
70Baltimore MD$134k30
71Richmond VA$134k25
72Brooklyn NY$133k21
73Houston TX$133k72
74Philadelphia PA$133k36
75Vienna VA$132k38
76Alpharetta GA$132k23
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$120k38
86Las Vegas NV$119k30
87Miami FL$118k27
88Fort Worth TX$118k54
89San Antonio TX$118k24
90Annapolis MD$117k32
91Cincinnati OH$117k20
92Colorado Springs CO$114k50
93Cleveland OH$113k20
94St. Louis MO$101k29

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>

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