Best Cities for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operatorss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where computer numerically controlled tool operatorss 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	WashingtonState	1.98	$107,920	$100,578	21%
2	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.89	$109,600	$95,888	24%
3	North DakotaState	1.28	$60,250	$65,065	19%
4	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.25	$58,770	$63,535	24%
5	AlabamaState	1.19	$52,380	$60,138	22%
6	MaineState	1.18	$59,660	$59,780	26%
7	IowaState	1.16	$52,300	$58,632	22%
8	West VirginiaState	1.16	$49,630	$58,943	20%
9	ArkansasState	1.15	$50,280	$58,262	21%
10	WyomingState	1.15	$54,170	$58,247	22%
11	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.15	$57,850	$58,141	31%
12	MinnesotaState	1.14	$56,780	$57,939	27%
13	MissouriState	1.14	$51,000	$57,562	24%
14	Rhode IslandState	1.13	$57,390	$57,104	31%
15	WisconsinState	1.13	$52,690	$57,086	25%
16	MassachusettsState	1.12	$61,630	$56,802	44%
17	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.12	$64,180	$56,546	48%
18	New HampshireState	1.11	$59,730	$56,349	32%
19	PennsylvaniaState	1.11	$54,590	$56,278	28%
20	South CarolinaState	1.11	$51,800	$56,304	29%
21	VermontState	1.11	$57,500	$56,098	30%
22	ConnecticutState	1.10	$59,840	$55,613	31%
23	KentuckyState	1.10	$49,180	$55,571	23%
24	South DakotaState	1.10	$50,750	$55,892	23%
25	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.10	$53,660	$55,780	35%
26	IdahoState	1.09	$53,340	$55,275	27%
27	LouisianaState	1.09	$49,800	$55,272	25%
28	OregonState	1.09	$56,670	$55,019	34%
29	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.09	$59,360	$55,065	36%
30	TennesseeState	1.08	$49,980	$54,623	30%
31	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.08	$51,010	$54,968	30%
32	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	1.08	$56,910	$54,986	34%
33	OhioState	1.07	$49,160	$54,381	26%
34	IndianaState	1.06	$48,590	$53,691	26%
35	KansasState	1.06	$48,400	$53,778	26%
36	MontanaState	1.06	$51,880	$53,817	26%
37	NebraskaState	1.06	$49,360	$53,945	25%
38	OklahomaState	1.06	$47,760	$53,966	24%
39	Columbus, OHMetro	1.06	$50,150	$53,636	31%
40	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.06	$49,450	$53,750	32%
41	North CarolinaState	1.05	$50,440	$53,432	31%
42	ColoradoState	1.03	$55,270	$52,438	40%
43	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.02	$49,400	$51,566	36%
44	CaliforniaState	1.01	$56,510	$51,048	48%
45	GeorgiaState	1.01	$47,630	$50,996	36%
46	MichiganState	1.01	$47,250	$51,192	28%
47	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.01	$46,880	$51,404	31%
48	TexasState	1.00	$48,480	$50,711	34%
49	DelawareState	0.98	$50,010	$49,515	33%
50	IllinoisState	0.98	$48,420	$49,713	32%
51	New JerseyState	0.98	$54,100	$49,724	40%
52	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.98	$47,900	$49,483	40%
53	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	0.98	$59,620	$49,601	63%
54	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.97	$52,040	$49,187	39%
55	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.97	$47,990	$49,372	40%
56	ArizonaState	0.96	$48,950	$48,513	37%
57	New MexicoState	0.96	$44,970	$48,880	28%
58	VirginiaState	0.95	$49,590	$47,913	38%
59	New YorkState	0.94	$53,340	$47,413	42%
60	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.93	$54,980	$47,193	49%
61	MississippiState	0.92	$39,520	$46,604	27%
62	NevadaState	0.92	$46,670	$46,577	37%
63	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.91	$45,570	$46,264	45%
64	FloridaState	0.90	$46,170	$45,488	45%
65	UtahState	0.89	$45,140	$45,050	40%
66	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.88	$48,360	$44,571	51%
67	MarylandState	0.85	$46,870	$42,921	43%
68	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.65	$37,220	$32,996	64%

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