Best Cities for Architectural and Engineering Managerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where architectural and engineering managerss get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	New MexicoState	1.37	$215,120	$233,826	6%
2	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.14	$234,590	$195,166	16%
3	CaliforniaState	1.11	$210,280	$189,955	13%
4	AlabamaState	1.09	$162,350	$186,395	7%
5	MassachusettsState	1.08	$201,430	$185,650	13%
6	OhioState	1.08	$166,870	$184,591	8%
7	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.08	$168,550	$184,814	9%
8	South CarolinaState	1.07	$169,040	$183,739	9%
9	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.07	$168,650	$183,315	9%
10	LouisianaState	1.06	$162,850	$180,744	8%
11	MichiganState	1.06	$166,930	$180,856	8%
12	South DakotaState	1.06	$164,330	$180,980	7%
13	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.06	$205,130	$180,731	15%
14	DelawareState	1.05	$181,190	$179,396	9%
15	TexasState	1.05	$171,370	$179,257	10%
16	KansasState	1.04	$160,150	$177,944	8%
17	MissouriState	1.04	$157,800	$178,104	8%
18	North CarolinaState	1.04	$167,840	$177,797	9%
19	OklahomaState	1.04	$157,330	$177,774	7%
20	West VirginiaState	1.04	$149,430	$177,470	7%
21	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.04	$169,960	$177,411	11%
22	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.04	$204,340	$178,775	13%
23	MinnesotaState	1.03	$172,130	$175,643	9%
24	TennesseeState	1.03	$161,430	$176,426	9%
25	WashingtonState	1.03	$189,680	$176,775	12%
26	WyomingState	1.03	$163,560	$175,871	7%
27	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.03	$172,160	$177,119	11%
28	ColoradoState	1.02	$183,810	$174,393	12%
29	Rhode IslandState	1.02	$175,910	$175,035	10%
30	Columbus, OHMetro	1.02	$162,770	$174,086	10%
31	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.02	$162,680	$175,302	9%
32	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.02	$174,510	$175,387	10%
33	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.02	$161,720	$174,832	9%
34	GeorgiaState	1.01	$161,470	$172,880	11%
35	IndianaState	1.01	$155,810	$172,166	8%
36	OregonState	1.00	$177,190	$172,029	11%
37	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.00	$169,310	$171,888	12%
38	IdahoState	0.99	$162,970	$168,881	9%
39	PennsylvaniaState	0.99	$164,690	$169,784	9%
40	VirginiaState	0.99	$176,160	$170,203	11%
41	FloridaState	0.98	$170,740	$168,217	12%
42	IllinoisState	0.98	$163,610	$167,977	10%
43	MississippiState	0.98	$142,790	$168,384	8%
44	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.98	$162,410	$167,779	12%
45	ArizonaState	0.97	$167,480	$165,986	11%
46	KentuckyState	0.97	$147,680	$166,870	8%
47	New JerseyState	0.97	$180,640	$166,029	12%
48	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.97	$159,720	$166,029	12%
49	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.97	$171,140	$165,353	11%
50	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.97	$178,300	$165,399	12%
51	IowaState	0.96	$147,320	$165,157	8%
52	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.96	$190,900	$163,863	14%
53	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.96	$185,220	$164,202	13%
54	ArkansasState	0.95	$140,600	$162,920	7%
55	ConnecticutState	0.95	$175,490	$163,095	11%
56	District of ColumbiaState	0.95	$185,220	$162,047	14%
57	New HampshireState	0.95	$172,240	$162,491	11%
58	NevadaState	0.94	$161,560	$161,238	11%
59	UtahState	0.94	$161,120	$160,798	11%
60	North DakotaState	0.93	$147,400	$159,179	8%
61	AlaskaState	0.92	$164,260	$157,488	10%
62	MarylandState	0.92	$172,670	$158,123	12%
63	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.92	$167,350	$158,176	12%
64	New YorkState	0.91	$175,710	$156,187	13%
65	NebraskaState	0.90	$141,020	$154,120	9%
66	VermontState	0.90	$157,710	$153,863	11%
67	WisconsinState	0.90	$142,060	$153,911	9%
68	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.90	$167,160	$154,065	15%
69	MontanaState	0.88	$146,030	$151,483	9%
70	MaineState	0.85	$145,720	$146,012	11%
71	HawaiiState	0.81	$151,670	$137,882	19%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).