Best Cities for Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmerss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where computer numerically controlled tool programmerss 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	MissouriState	1.29	$78,130	$88,183	16%
2	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.26	$102,980	$85,674	37%
3	KansasState	1.24	$76,080	$84,533	16%
4	North DakotaState	1.20	$75,990	$82,063	15%
5	ConnecticutState	1.18	$86,390	$80,288	22%
6	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.15	$78,010	$78,402	23%
7	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.13	$71,180	$76,703	22%
8	TennesseeState	1.12	$69,700	$76,175	22%
9	VermontState	1.12	$77,980	$76,078	22%
10	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.12	$86,860	$75,993	30%
11	MinnesotaState	1.11	$74,190	$75,704	21%
12	South CarolinaState	1.11	$69,470	$75,511	22%
13	WashingtonState	1.11	$81,420	$75,881	28%
14	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.11	$85,560	$75,383	36%
15	MassachusettsState	1.10	$81,670	$75,272	33%
16	AlabamaState	1.09	$64,590	$74,156	18%
17	CaliforniaState	1.09	$82,090	$74,155	33%
18	OklahomaState	1.09	$65,590	$74,113	18%
19	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.09	$68,520	$74,478	23%
20	ArizonaState	1.08	$74,450	$73,786	24%
21	KentuckyState	1.08	$64,980	$73,424	18%
22	MontanaState	1.08	$70,860	$73,506	19%
23	South DakotaState	1.08	$66,650	$73,403	17%
24	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.08	$67,930	$73,438	21%
25	MaineState	1.07	$72,920	$73,066	21%
26	OregonState	1.07	$75,150	$72,961	25%
27	TexasState	1.07	$69,550	$72,751	24%
28	WisconsinState	1.07	$67,460	$73,088	19%
29	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.07	$71,060	$73,107	27%
30	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.07	$70,420	$73,202	27%
31	VirginiaState	1.06	$74,390	$71,874	25%
32	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.06	$65,870	$72,226	22%
33	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	1.05	$82,950	$71,202	33%
34	IllinoisState	1.04	$68,830	$70,667	23%
35	IndianaState	1.03	$63,200	$69,834	20%
36	MichiganState	1.03	$64,640	$70,033	21%
37	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	1.03	$75,660	$70,186	28%
38	NebraskaState	1.01	$63,190	$69,060	20%
39	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.01	$66,150	$69,050	27%
40	Columbus, OHMetro	1.01	$64,230	$68,695	24%
41	North CarolinaState	1.00	$63,990	$67,786	24%
42	PennsylvaniaState	1.00	$66,330	$68,381	23%
43	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.00	$76,970	$68,236	31%
44	New HampshireState	0.99	$71,680	$67,623	27%
45	OhioState	0.98	$60,080	$66,460	21%
46	ColoradoState	0.97	$69,570	$66,006	32%
47	IdahoState	0.97	$63,560	$65,865	23%
48	ArkansasState	0.96	$56,390	$65,342	19%
49	GeorgiaState	0.96	$61,360	$65,696	28%
50	UtahState	0.96	$65,610	$65,479	27%
51	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.96	$67,400	$65,121	28%
52	IowaState	0.95	$57,780	$64,776	20%
53	New JerseyState	0.95	$70,460	$64,761	31%
54	FloridaState	0.93	$63,970	$63,025	32%
55	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	0.93	$61,450	$63,481	32%
56	Rhode IslandState	0.91	$62,640	$62,328	29%
57	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.91	$65,670	$62,070	31%
58	New YorkState	0.90	$68,730	$61,093	32%
59	MarylandState	0.88	$65,670	$60,137	31%
60	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.88	$58,910	$59,807	35%
61	MississippiState	0.87	$50,190	$59,186	21%
62	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.85	$62,570	$57,668	39%
63	NevadaState	0.84	$57,210	$57,096	30%

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