Best cities for a lead engineer
The best cities for lead engineers are Nashville, TN, San Jose, CA, and Austin, TX, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for lead engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for lead engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a lead engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for lead engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for lead engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a lead engineer. While the absolute best city for lead engineers is Nashville, TN, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for lead engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a lead engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for lead engineers in 2026
1. Nashville, TN
Lead engineer jobs in NashvilleTotal lead engineer jobs: 191 Average annual salary: $80,871 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location quotient: 9.18 2. San Jose, CA
Lead engineer jobs in San JoseTotal lead engineer jobs: 218 Average annual salary: $109,509 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location quotient: 12.99 3. Austin, TX
Lead engineer jobs in AustinTotal lead engineer jobs: 118 Average annual salary: $84,769 Lowest 10 percent warn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location quotient: 11.88 4. San Francisco, CA
Lead engineer jobs in San FranciscoTotal lead engineer jobs: 96 Average annual salary: $110,162 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location quotient: 7.66 5. Plano, TX
Lead engineer jobs in PlanoTotal lead engineer jobs: 108 Average annual salary: $82,678 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location quotient: 13.96 6. Houston, TX
Lead engineer jobs in HoustonTotal lead engineer jobs: 181 Average annual salary: $84,530 Lowest 10 percent warn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location quotient: 7.78 7. Irving, TX
Lead engineer jobs in IrvingTotal lead engineer jobs: 85 Average annual salary: $82,874 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location quotient: 10.88 8. Memphis, TN
Lead engineer jobs in MemphisTotal lead engineer jobs: 79 Average annual salary: $80,494 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location quotient: 5.04 9. Fort Worth, TX
Lead engineer jobs in Fort WorthTotal lead engineer jobs: 88 Average annual salary: $83,050 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location quotient: 6.71 10. Detroit, MI
Lead engineer jobs in DetroitTotal lead engineer jobs: 90 Average annual salary: $80,489 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location quotient: 5.37
Choose from 10+ customizable lead engineer resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use lead engineer resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your lead engineer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for lead engineers
- Nashville, TN
- San Jose, CA
- Austin, TX
- San Francisco, CA
- Plano, TX
- Houston, TX
- Irving, TX
- Memphis, TN
- Fort Worth, TX
- Detroit, MI
Detailed list of the best cities for a lead engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville, TN | $80,871 | $59,000 | 660,388 | 191 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $109,509 | $70,000 | 1,025,350 | 218 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $84,769 | $60,000 | 947,890 | 118 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $110,162 | $70,000 | 870,887 | 96 |
| 5 | Plano, TX | $82,678 | $59,000 | 286,057 | 108 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $84,530 | $60,000 | 2,303,482 | 181 |
| 7 | Irving, TX | $82,874 | $59,000 | 238,289 | 85 |
| 8 | Memphis, TN | $80,494 | $59,000 | 652,717 | 79 |
| 9 | Fort Worth, TX | $83,050 | $59,000 | 854,113 | 88 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $80,489 | $59,000 | 672,795 | 90 |
| 11 | Anchorage, AK | $96,356 | $68,000 | 298,192 | 19 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $76,542 | $56,000 | 298,800 | 169 |
| 13 | Anaheim, CA | $99,995 | $66,000 | 351,043 | 37 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $80,153 | $58,000 | 1,567,872 | 201 |
| 15 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $121,147 | $90,000 | 351,792 | 24 |
| 16 | Boston, MA | $91,266 | $67,000 | 673,184 | 148 |
| 17 | Irvine, CA | $99,796 | $66,000 | 266,122 | 139 |
| 18 | San Antonio, TX | $85,222 | $60,000 | 1,492,510 | 57 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $81,239 | $59,000 | 855,164 | 70 |
| 20 | Cleveland, OH | $77,263 | $56,000 | 385,809 | 52 |
| 21 | Columbus, OH | $76,893 | $56,000 | 860,090 | 174 |
| 22 | Tulsa, OK | $76,321 | $55,000 | 403,090 | 93 |
| 23 | Greensboro, NC | $77,538 | $57,000 | 287,027 | 120 |
| 24 | Fremont, CA | $109,573 | $70,000 | 233,136 | 31 |
| 25 | Atlanta, GA | $83,745 | $61,000 | 472,522 | 114 |
| 26 | New Orleans, LA | $84,095 | $60,000 | 391,495 | 15 |
| 27 | Scottsdale, AZ | $81,284 | $55,000 | 246,645 | 52 |
| 28 | Sacramento, CA | $107,226 | $69,000 | 495,234 | 33 |
| 29 | Los Angeles, CA | $100,615 | $66,000 | 3,976,322 | 67 |
| 30 | Dallas, TX | $82,901 | $59,000 | 1,317,929 | 112 |
| 31 | Chandler, AZ | $81,428 | $55,000 | 247,477 | 43 |
| 32 | Winston-Salem, NC | $77,413 | $57,000 | 242,203 | 42 |
| 33 | Oakland, CA | $109,814 | $70,000 | 420,005 | 9 |
| 34 | Albuquerque, NM | $88,034 | $62,000 | 559,277 | 14 |
| 35 | Lexington, KY | $70,743 | $52,000 | 318,449 | 73 |
| 36 | Fort Wayne, IN | $81,391 | $60,000 | 264,488 | 4 |
| 37 | Pittsburgh, PA | $78,648 | $57,000 | 303,625 | 82 |
| 38 | Fresno, CA | $105,587 | $68,000 | 522,053 | 6 |
| 39 | Durham, NC | $77,800 | $57,000 | 263,016 | 74 |
| 40 | Minneapolis, MN | $74,451 | $55,000 | 413,651 | 121 |
| 41 | Phoenix, AZ | $81,462 | $55,000 | 1,615,017 | 178 |
| 42 | El Paso, TX | $86,272 | $60,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 43 | San Diego, CA | $99,126 | $66,000 | 1,406,630 | 157 |
| 44 | Laredo, TX | $86,080 | $60,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 45 | Las Vegas, NV | $78,383 | $52,000 | 632,912 | 93 |
| 46 | Norfolk, VA | $87,276 | $63,000 | 245,115 | 36 |
| 47 | Corpus Christi, TX | $85,472 | $60,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 48 | Milwaukee, WI | $71,375 | $52,000 | 595,047 | 128 |
| 49 | Stockton, CA | $107,978 | $69,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 50 | Wichita, KS | $74,737 | $54,000 | 389,902 | 36 |
Highest paying cities for lead engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. lead engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $110,162 |
| 2 | Quincy, MA | $91,308 |
| 3 | Bellevue, WA | $88,778 |
| 4 | Richmond, VA | $86,884 |
| 5 | Hillsboro, OR | $86,337 |
| 6 | Englewood, CO | $85,517 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $84,769 |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | $83,745 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $81,718 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $81,640 |
| 11 | Richmond, IN | $81,499 |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $81,462 |
| 13 | Jersey City, NJ | $80,981 |
| 14 | Franklin, TN | $80,829 |
| 15 | Warren, MI | $80,525 |
| 16 | Wilmington, DE | $80,287 |
| 17 | Philadelphia, PA | $80,153 |
| 18 | Wilmington, NC | $77,556 |
| 19 | Columbus, OH | $76,893 |
| 20 | OFallon, MO | $76,604 |
Lead engineer best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
Search for lead engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025