Best Cities for Network and Computer Systems Administratorss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where network and computer systems administratorss 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	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	1.17	$122,950	$116,210	16%
2	Columbus, OHMetro	1.14	$105,750	$113,102	15%
3	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.12	$133,360	$110,948	28%
4	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.12	$125,430	$111,197	19%
5	MarylandState	1.09	$118,290	$108,324	17%
6	OhioState	1.09	$97,570	$107,931	13%
7	New JerseyState	1.08	$116,420	$107,004	19%
8	TexasState	1.07	$101,240	$105,900	16%
9	VirginiaState	1.07	$109,610	$105,903	17%
10	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	1.07	$103,260	$106,235	18%
11	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.07	$96,400	$105,702	15%
12	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	1.06	$96,770	$105,185	16%
13	GeorgiaState	1.05	$97,170	$104,036	17%
14	MinnesotaState	1.05	$101,870	$103,949	15%
15	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.05	$101,000	$104,339	19%
16	IllinoisState	1.04	$100,080	$102,752	16%
17	NevadaState	1.04	$103,440	$103,234	17%
18	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	1.04	$116,770	$102,881	26%
19	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	1.04	$102,790	$103,307	17%
20	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	1.04	$101,560	$103,107	20%
21	MassachusettsState	1.03	$110,980	$102,286	24%
22	Rhode IslandState	1.03	$103,100	$102,587	18%
23	North CarolinaState	1.02	$95,230	$100,879	16%
24	LouisianaState	1.01	$90,160	$100,067	14%
25	MichiganState	1.01	$92,750	$100,488	14%
26	South CarolinaState	1.01	$92,520	$100,565	16%
27	New MexicoState	1.00	$90,790	$98,685	14%
28	OregonState	1.00	$102,000	$99,029	19%
29	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.00	$91,980	$99,116	17%
30	ColoradoState	0.99	$103,370	$98,074	21%
31	ConnecticutState	0.99	$105,880	$98,401	18%
32	KentuckyState	0.99	$87,020	$98,328	13%
33	District of ColumbiaState	0.98	$110,970	$97,087	23%
34	WashingtonState	0.98	$103,910	$96,841	22%
35	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.98	$93,170	$96,850	20%
36	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.98	$100,460	$97,063	19%
37	CaliforniaState	0.97	$106,440	$96,152	26%
38	TennesseeState	0.97	$88,100	$96,284	17%
39	IdahoState	0.96	$91,880	$95,212	16%
40	IowaState	0.96	$84,500	$94,731	14%
41	OklahomaState	0.96	$83,990	$94,904	14%
42	UtahState	0.96	$95,820	$95,629	19%
43	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.96	$102,950	$95,501	21%
44	ArkansasState	0.95	$81,590	$94,542	13%
45	FloridaState	0.95	$95,200	$93,793	22%
46	MississippiState	0.95	$79,990	$94,328	13%
47	New HampshireState	0.95	$100,230	$94,557	19%
48	New YorkState	0.95	$105,810	$94,053	21%
49	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	0.95	$89,990	$93,935	20%
50	AlabamaState	0.94	$81,400	$93,456	14%
51	AlaskaState	0.94	$97,500	$93,480	17%
52	DelawareState	0.94	$94,200	$93,267	17%
53	IndianaState	0.94	$84,550	$93,425	15%
54	North DakotaState	0.94	$86,450	$93,359	14%
55	HawaiiState	0.93	$101,450	$92,227	28%
56	KansasState	0.93	$83,340	$92,600	15%
57	NebraskaState	0.93	$84,700	$92,568	15%
58	MissouriState	0.92	$80,870	$91,275	15%
59	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.92	$106,290	$91,236	26%
60	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	0.92	$104,440	$91,374	25%
61	WisconsinState	0.91	$83,650	$90,628	16%
62	ArizonaState	0.90	$90,280	$89,475	20%
63	PennsylvaniaState	0.90	$86,140	$88,804	18%
64	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.90	$97,180	$89,567	25%
65	West VirginiaState	0.89	$74,490	$88,468	13%
66	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	0.88	$80,440	$86,962	18%
67	MaineState	0.85	$83,890	$84,058	19%
68	MontanaState	0.85	$80,950	$83,973	17%
69	VermontState	0.85	$86,020	$83,922	20%
70	South DakotaState	0.83	$75,010	$82,610	15%
71	WyomingState	0.82	$75,220	$80,882	16%

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