Compensation database
Engineer salary by city
Updated January 2025
Compare estimated engineering pay across major U.S. metros. Search a city, or type a state to see every metro in it.
National median
$116,537
all engineers
Top metro (est.)
$172,475
San Jose
Top vs national
+48% vs national
San Jose
Metros covered
61
major U.S. metros
Engineering pay is highest in the San Jose metro (est. $172,475) and other coastal tech hubs, versus a national median of $116,537. Open a metro for its full role breakdown, or jump to its state to see nearby cities.
| Metro area | State | Pay band (10th–90th) | Median | 90th pct | vs U.S. | Data | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose California | CA | $172,475 | $265,129 | +48% | Estimate | ||
| San Francisco California | CA | $165,483 | $254,381 | +42% | Estimate | ||
| Seattle Washington | WA | $151,498 | $232,884 | +30% | Estimate | ||
| New York City New York | NY | $146,837 | $225,718 | +26% | Estimate | ||
| Boston Massachusetts | MA | $142,175 | $218,553 | +22% | Estimate | ||
| Washington, D.C. District of Columbia | DC | $139,844 | $214,970 | +20% | Estimate | ||
| Los Angeles California | CA | $137,514 | $211,387 | +18% | Estimate | ||
| San Diego California | CA | $134,018 | $206,013 | +15% | Estimate | ||
| Arlington Virginia | VA | $134,018 | $206,013 | +15% | Estimate | ||
| Austin Texas | TX | $130,521 | $200,639 | +12% | Estimate | ||
| Newark New Jersey | NJ | $130,521 | $200,639 | +12% | Estimate | ||
| Denver Colorado | CO | $128,191 | $197,056 | +10% | Estimate | ||
| Houston Texas | TX | $125,860 | $193,473 | +8% | Estimate | ||
| Hartford Connecticut | CT | $125,860 | $193,473 | +8% | Estimate | ||
| Baltimore Maryland | MD | $125,860 | $193,473 | +8% | Estimate | ||
| Sacramento California | CA | $125,860 | $193,473 | +8% | Estimate | ||
| Portland Oregon | OR | $124,695 | $191,681 | +7% | Estimate | ||
| Chicago Illinois | IL | $123,529 | $189,890 | +6% | Estimate | ||
| Dallas Texas | TX | $123,529 | $189,890 | +6% | Estimate | ||
| Anchorage Alaska | AK | $123,529 | $189,890 | +6% | Estimate | ||
| Honolulu Hawaii | HI | $122,364 | $188,099 | +5% | Estimate | ||
| Raleigh North Carolina | NC | $121,198 | $186,307 | +4% | Estimate | ||
| Minneapolis Minnesota | MN | $121,198 | $186,307 | +4% | Estimate | ||
| Philadelphia Pennsylvania | PA | $121,198 | $186,307 | +4% | Estimate | ||
| Atlanta Georgia | GA | $120,033 | $184,516 | +3% | Estimate | ||
| Detroit Michigan | MI | $118,868 | $182,724 | +2% | Estimate | ||
| Richmond Virginia | VA | $118,868 | $182,724 | +2% | Estimate | ||
| Colorado Springs Colorado | CO | $118,868 | $182,724 | +2% | Estimate | ||
| Salt Lake City Utah | UT | $117,702 | $180,933 | +1% | Estimate | ||
| Phoenix Arizona | AZ | $116,537 | $179,142 | 0% | Estimate | ||
| Huntsville Alabama | AL | $116,537 | $179,142 | 0% | Estimate | ||
| Charlotte North Carolina | NC | $116,537 | $179,142 | 0% | Estimate | ||
| Miami Florida | FL | $116,537 | $179,142 | 0% | Estimate | ||
| Riverside California | CA | $116,537 | $179,142 | 0% | Estimate | ||
| Nashville Tennessee | TN | $115,372 | $177,350 | -1% | Estimate | ||
| Columbus Ohio | OH | $115,372 | $177,350 | -1% | Estimate | ||
| Pittsburgh Pennsylvania | PA | $115,372 | $177,350 | -1% | Estimate | ||
| San Antonio Texas | TX | $114,206 | $175,559 | -2% | Estimate | ||
| St. Louis Missouri | MO | $114,206 | $175,559 | -2% | Estimate | ||
| Kansas City Missouri | MO | $114,206 | $175,559 | -2% | Estimate | ||
| Las Vegas Nevada | NV | $114,206 | $175,559 | -2% | Estimate | ||
| Milwaukee Wisconsin | WI | $114,206 | $175,559 | -2% | Estimate | ||
| Cincinnati Ohio | OH | $114,206 | $175,559 | -2% | Estimate | ||
| Tampa Florida | FL | $113,041 | $173,767 | -3% | Estimate | ||
| Indianapolis Indiana | IN | $113,041 | $173,767 | -3% | Estimate | ||
| Cleveland Ohio | OH | $113,041 | $173,767 | -3% | Estimate | ||
| Buffalo New York | NY | $113,041 | $173,767 | -3% | Estimate | ||
| Jacksonville Florida | FL | $113,041 | $173,767 | -3% | Estimate | ||
| Orlando Florida | FL | $111,876 | $171,976 | -4% | Estimate | ||
| Boise Idaho | ID | $111,876 | $171,976 | -4% | Estimate | ||
| New Orleans Louisiana | LA | $111,876 | $171,976 | -4% | Estimate | ||
| Omaha Nebraska | NE | $111,876 | $171,976 | -4% | Estimate | ||
| Albuquerque New Mexico | NM | $111,876 | $171,976 | -4% | Estimate | ||
| Grand Rapids Michigan | MI | $111,876 | $171,976 | -4% | Estimate | ||
| Birmingham Alabama | AL | $110,710 | $170,184 | -5% | Estimate | ||
| Oklahoma City Oklahoma | OK | $110,710 | $170,184 | -5% | Estimate | ||
| Memphis Tennessee | TN | $110,710 | $170,184 | -5% | Estimate | ||
| Louisville Kentucky | KY | $110,710 | $170,184 | -5% | Estimate | ||
| Tucson Arizona | AZ | $110,710 | $170,184 | -5% | Estimate | ||
| Wichita Kansas | KS | $109,545 | $168,393 | -6% | Estimate | ||
| Tulsa Oklahoma | OK | $109,545 | $168,393 | -6% | Estimate |
- Estimate
San Jose
California
CA
Median
$172,475
+48%90th
$265,129
View details - Estimate
San Francisco
California
CA
Median
$165,483
+42%90th
$254,381
View details - Estimate
Seattle
Washington
WA
Median
$151,498
+30%90th
$232,884
View details - Estimate
New York City
New York
NY
Median
$146,837
+26%90th
$225,718
View details - Estimate
Boston
Massachusetts
MA
Median
$142,175
+22%90th
$218,553
View details - Estimate
Washington, D.C.
District of Columbia
DC
Median
$139,844
+20%90th
$214,970
View details - Estimate
Los Angeles
California
CA
Median
$137,514
+18%90th
$211,387
View details - Estimate
San Diego
California
CA
Median
$134,018
+15%90th
$206,013
View details - Estimate
Arlington
Virginia
VA
Median
$134,018
+15%90th
$206,013
View details - Estimate
Austin
Texas
TX
Median
$130,521
+12%90th
$200,639
View details - Estimate
Newark
New Jersey
NJ
Median
$130,521
+12%90th
$200,639
View details - Estimate
Denver
Colorado
CO
Median
$128,191
+10%90th
$197,056
View details - Estimate
Houston
Texas
TX
Median
$125,860
+8%90th
$193,473
View details - Estimate
Hartford
Connecticut
CT
Median
$125,860
+8%90th
$193,473
View details - Estimate
Baltimore
Maryland
MD
Median
$125,860
+8%90th
$193,473
View details - Estimate
Sacramento
California
CA
Median
$125,860
+8%90th
$193,473
View details - Estimate
Portland
Oregon
OR
Median
$124,695
+7%90th
$191,681
View details - Estimate
Chicago
Illinois
IL
Median
$123,529
+6%90th
$189,890
View details - Estimate
Dallas
Texas
TX
Median
$123,529
+6%90th
$189,890
View details - Estimate
Anchorage
Alaska
AK
Median
$123,529
+6%90th
$189,890
View details - Estimate
Honolulu
Hawaii
HI
Median
$122,364
+5%90th
$188,099
View details - Estimate
Raleigh
North Carolina
NC
Median
$121,198
+4%90th
$186,307
View details - Estimate
Minneapolis
Minnesota
MN
Median
$121,198
+4%90th
$186,307
View details - Estimate
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
PA
Median
$121,198
+4%90th
$186,307
View details - Estimate
Atlanta
Georgia
GA
Median
$120,033
+3%90th
$184,516
View details - Estimate
Detroit
Michigan
MI
Median
$118,868
+2%90th
$182,724
View details - Estimate
Richmond
Virginia
VA
Median
$118,868
+2%90th
$182,724
View details - Estimate
Colorado Springs
Colorado
CO
Median
$118,868
+2%90th
$182,724
View details - Estimate
Salt Lake City
Utah
UT
Median
$117,702
+1%90th
$180,933
View details - Estimate
Phoenix
Arizona
AZ
Median
$116,537
0%90th
$179,142
View details - Estimate
Huntsville
Alabama
AL
Median
$116,537
0%90th
$179,142
View details - Estimate
Charlotte
North Carolina
NC
Median
$116,537
0%90th
$179,142
View details - Estimate
Miami
Florida
FL
Median
$116,537
0%90th
$179,142
View details - Estimate
Riverside
California
CA
Median
$116,537
0%90th
$179,142
View details - Estimate
Nashville
Tennessee
TN
Median
$115,372
-1%90th
$177,350
View details - Estimate
Columbus
Ohio
OH
Median
$115,372
-1%90th
$177,350
View details - Estimate
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
PA
Median
$115,372
-1%90th
$177,350
View details - Estimate
San Antonio
Texas
TX
Median
$114,206
-2%90th
$175,559
View details - Estimate
St. Louis
Missouri
MO
Median
$114,206
-2%90th
$175,559
View details - Estimate
Kansas City
Missouri
MO
Median
$114,206
-2%90th
$175,559
View details - Estimate
Las Vegas
Nevada
NV
Median
$114,206
-2%90th
$175,559
View details - Estimate
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
WI
Median
$114,206
-2%90th
$175,559
View details - Estimate
Cincinnati
Ohio
OH
Median
$114,206
-2%90th
$175,559
View details - Estimate
Tampa
Florida
FL
Median
$113,041
-3%90th
$173,767
View details - Estimate
Indianapolis
Indiana
IN
Median
$113,041
-3%90th
$173,767
View details - Estimate
Cleveland
Ohio
OH
Median
$113,041
-3%90th
$173,767
View details - Estimate
Buffalo
New York
NY
Median
$113,041
-3%90th
$173,767
View details - Estimate
Jacksonville
Florida
FL
Median
$113,041
-3%90th
$173,767
View details - Estimate
Orlando
Florida
FL
Median
$111,876
-4%90th
$171,976
View details - Estimate
Boise
Idaho
ID
Median
$111,876
-4%90th
$171,976
View details - Estimate
New Orleans
Louisiana
LA
Median
$111,876
-4%90th
$171,976
View details - Estimate
Omaha
Nebraska
NE
Median
$111,876
-4%90th
$171,976
View details - Estimate
Albuquerque
New Mexico
NM
Median
$111,876
-4%90th
$171,976
View details - Estimate
Grand Rapids
Michigan
MI
Median
$111,876
-4%90th
$171,976
View details - Estimate
Birmingham
Alabama
AL
Median
$110,710
-5%90th
$170,184
View details - Estimate
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
OK
Median
$110,710
-5%90th
$170,184
View details - Estimate
Memphis
Tennessee
TN
Median
$110,710
-5%90th
$170,184
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Louisville
Kentucky
KY
Median
$110,710
-5%90th
$170,184
View details - Estimate
Tucson
Arizona
AZ
Median
$110,710
-5%90th
$170,184
View details - Estimate
Wichita
Kansas
KS
Median
$109,545
-6%90th
$168,393
View details - Estimate
Tulsa
Oklahoma
OK
Median
$109,545
-6%90th
$168,393
View details
Source details
Metro figures are estimates that adjust the national engineering median for local pay levels, sharpening as engineers in each city contribute.
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →