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MODELED MONTHLY SURPLUS

Top 20 cities for Electrical 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 17-2071 Electrical 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

Albuquerque, NM

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,969
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$167,813
BEA 2024 RPP
95.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#2

Corpus Christi, TX

MSA Pop: 0.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,872
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$127,920
BEA 2024 RPP
92.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,153/mo
#3

Houston, TX

MSA Pop: 7.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,766
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$134,347
BEA 2024 RPP
98.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#4

Austin, TX

MSA Pop: 2.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,342
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$148,994
BEA 2024 RPP
98.1
Est. Mortgage
$2,883/mo
#5

St. Louis, MO

MSA Pop: 2.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,318
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$127,059
BEA 2024 RPP
95.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,153/mo
#6

Philadelphia, PA

MSA Pop: 6.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,249
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$130,923
BEA 2024 RPP
102.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#7

Memphis, TN

MSA Pop: 1.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,217
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$115,692
BEA 2024 RPP
92.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#8

New Orleans, LA

MSA Pop: 1.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,170
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$128,248
BEA 2024 RPP
92.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#9

Dallas, TX

MSA Pop: 7.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,088
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$127,500
BEA 2024 RPP
103.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,913/mo
#10

Oklahoma City, OK

MSA Pop: 1.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,063
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$121,216
BEA 2024 RPP
90.4
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#11

Fresno, CA

MSA Pop: 1.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,970
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$138,150
BEA 2024 RPP
102.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,887/mo
#12

Detroit, MI

MSA Pop: 4.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,833
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$117,250
BEA 2024 RPP
100.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,179/mo
#13

Jacksonville, FL

MSA Pop: 1.5M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,805
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$119,392
BEA 2024 RPP
99.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,730/mo
#14

Durham, NC

MSA Pop: 0.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,803
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$132,256
BEA 2024 RPP
97.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,992/mo
#15

Birmingham, AL

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,795
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$115,784
BEA 2024 RPP
91.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,075/mo
#16

Orlando, FL

MSA Pop: 2.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,751
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$122,057
BEA 2024 RPP
101.4
Est. Mortgage
$1,940/mo
#17

McAllen, TX

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,729
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$102,459
BEA 2024 RPP
85.9
Est. Mortgage
$813/mo
#18

El Paso, TX

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,714
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$105,759
BEA 2024 RPP
89.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#19

Raleigh, NC

MSA Pop: 1.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,712
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$133,496
BEA 2024 RPP
98.2
Est. Mortgage
$2,149/mo
#20

Little Rock, AR

MSA Pop: 0.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,612
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$111,417
BEA 2024 RPP
89.4
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo