HomeRankingsAerospace Engineers
MODELED MONTHLY SURPLUS

Top 20 cities for Aerospace Engineers

This ranking uses a modeled monthly surplus, not salary alone. It estimates take-home pay, housing, and local standard expenses so you can compare the same defined measure across cities.

Direct BLS match to SOC 17-2011 Aerospace Engineers.

What the modeled surplus includes

Modeled 2026 monthly surplus = modeled monthly take-home pay - estimated mortgage - fixed standard expenses ($2,200/month in every metro). It is a comparison model, not your personal cash-after-rent result.

#1

Baltimore, MD

MSA Pop: 2.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,973
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$171,154
BEA 2024 RPP
104.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,835/mo
#2

New Orleans, LA

MSA Pop: 1.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,475
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$153,166
BEA 2024 RPP
92.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#3

Cleveland, OH

MSA Pop: 2.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,472
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$146,596
BEA 2024 RPP
93.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#4

Minneapolis, MN

MSA Pop: 3.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,378
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$163,949
BEA 2024 RPP
104.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,782/mo
#5

Memphis, TN

MSA Pop: 1.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,218
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$133,076
BEA 2024 RPP
92.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#6

Houston, TX

MSA Pop: 7.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,935
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$137,319
BEA 2024 RPP
98.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#7

Wichita, KS

MSA Pop: 0.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,890
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$133,988
BEA 2024 RPP
88.9
Est. Mortgage
$944/mo
#8

Dayton, OH

MSA Pop: 0.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,846
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$132,645
BEA 2024 RPP
92.7
Est. Mortgage
$917/mo
#9

Pittsburgh, PA

MSA Pop: 2.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,810
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$131,600
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#10

Colorado Springs, CO

MSA Pop: 0.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,805
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$155,780
BEA 2024 RPP
100.7
Est. Mortgage
$2,254/mo
#11

San Antonio, TX

MSA Pop: 2.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,767
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$131,610
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,468/mo
#12

Oklahoma City, OK

MSA Pop: 1.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,706
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$133,486
BEA 2024 RPP
90.4
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#13

Dallas, TX

MSA Pop: 7.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,682
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$137,934
BEA 2024 RPP
103.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,913/mo
#14

Detroit, MI

MSA Pop: 4.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,638
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$132,184
BEA 2024 RPP
100.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,179/mo
#15

Rochester, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,616
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$131,108
BEA 2024 RPP
97.0
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#16

Akron, OH

MSA Pop: 0.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,608
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$128,104
BEA 2024 RPP
93.4
Est. Mortgage
$917/mo
#17

Virginia Beach, VA

MSA Pop: 1.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,540
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$142,485
BEA 2024 RPP
97.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,677/mo
#18

Washington, DC

MSA Pop: 6.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,532
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$170,580
BEA 2024 RPP
108.9
Est. Mortgage
$2,883/mo
#19

Corpus Christi, TX

MSA Pop: 0.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,464
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$120,786
BEA 2024 RPP
92.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,153/mo
#20

Denver, CO

MSA Pop: 2.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,406
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$160,095
BEA 2024 RPP
105.8
Est. Mortgage
$2,883/mo