Best Cities for Electronics Engineers, Except Computers

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where electronics engineers, except computers 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	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.24	$194,370	$161,705	19%
2	New MexicoState	1.14	$136,990	$148,902	9%
3	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.14	$156,520	$147,940	13%
4	New JerseyState	1.12	$158,730	$145,892	14%
5	CaliforniaState	1.11	$160,520	$145,005	17%
6	West VirginiaState	1.10	$120,170	$142,720	8%
7	MarylandState	1.09	$155,650	$142,537	13%
8	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.09	$131,160	$142,565	12%
9	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.08	$128,650	$141,064	11%
10	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.07	$135,350	$139,824	14%
11	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.07	$135,150	$139,043	14%
12	AlabamaState	1.06	$120,720	$138,599	10%
13	District of ColumbiaState	1.06	$157,040	$137,393	16%
14	MichiganState	1.06	$127,200	$137,811	11%
15	TexasState	1.06	$132,220	$138,305	13%
16	Rhode IslandState	1.04	$136,360	$135,682	13%
17	TennesseeState	1.03	$122,920	$134,339	12%
18	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	1.03	$129,420	$134,532	14%
19	IllinoisState	1.02	$129,390	$132,844	12%
20	MississippiState	1.02	$112,400	$132,547	10%
21	MissouriState	1.02	$117,630	$132,765	11%
22	GeorgiaState	1.01	$123,010	$131,702	14%
23	OhioState	1.01	$118,830	$131,449	11%
24	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.00	$119,930	$129,654	12%
25	ArkansasState	0.98	$109,830	$127,265	10%
26	MaineState	0.98	$127,490	$127,745	12%
27	MassachusettsState	0.98	$138,230	$127,401	20%
28	UtahState	0.98	$128,430	$128,174	14%
29	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.97	$142,920	$125,921	21%
30	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.97	$131,090	$126,657	15%
31	PennsylvaniaState	0.96	$121,260	$125,010	13%
32	IndianaState	0.95	$112,200	$123,978	11%
33	OklahomaState	0.95	$109,120	$123,299	11%
34	South CarolinaState	0.95	$113,720	$123,609	13%
35	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	0.95	$140,000	$124,113	17%
36	North CarolinaState	0.94	$115,920	$122,797	13%
37	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	0.94	$113,090	$121,864	14%
38	ColoradoState	0.93	$127,010	$120,503	17%
39	OregonState	0.93	$124,400	$120,777	15%
40	WashingtonState	0.93	$130,270	$121,407	17%
41	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.93	$140,530	$120,627	19%
42	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.93	$138,890	$121,514	19%
43	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.92	$129,330	$119,972	17%
44	Columbus, OHMetro	0.91	$110,970	$118,684	14%
45	ArizonaState	0.90	$118,120	$117,066	15%
46	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.90	$116,630	$117,216	15%
47	KansasState	0.89	$103,740	$115,267	12%
48	NevadaState	0.89	$116,180	$115,948	15%
49	VirginiaState	0.89	$119,990	$115,932	16%
50	FloridaState	0.88	$116,860	$115,133	18%
51	HawaiiState	0.88	$126,690	$115,173	23%
52	KentuckyState	0.88	$101,860	$115,096	11%
53	MinnesotaState	0.88	$112,390	$114,684	14%
54	North DakotaState	0.87	$104,860	$113,240	11%
55	LouisianaState	0.86	$100,390	$111,421	13%
56	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.86	$107,630	$112,349	17%
57	IdahoState	0.82	$102,770	$106,497	14%
58	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.82	$116,500	$107,373	21%
59	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.82	$104,690	$106,284	20%
60	New YorkState	0.81	$119,180	$105,938	19%
61	AlaskaState	0.79	$106,810	$102,407	15%
62	WyomingState	0.79	$95,910	$103,129	12%
63	WisconsinState	0.78	$93,710	$101,528	14%
64	ConnecticutState	0.76	$106,040	$98,550	18%
65	NebraskaState	0.76	$91,140	$99,607	14%
66	New HampshireState	0.76	$105,190	$99,236	18%
67	MontanaState	0.74	$93,380	$96,867	14%
68	South DakotaState	0.71	$84,150	$92,676	14%
69	IowaState	0.70	$81,330	$91,177	14%
70	VermontState	0.65	$86,180	$84,078	20%

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