Best cities for a programming engineer
The best cities for programming engineers are Fremont, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Chandler, AZ, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for programming engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for programming engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a programming engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for programming engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for programming engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a programming engineer. While the absolute best city for programming engineers is Fremont, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for programming engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a programming engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for programming engineers in 2026
1. Fremont, CA
Total programming engineer jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $113,044 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location quotient: 2.70 2. San Francisco, CA
Total programming engineer jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $113,340 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location quotient: 1.20 3. Chandler, AZ
Total programming engineer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $86,621 Lowest 10 percent warn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location quotient: 4.38 4. San Jose, CA
Total programming engineer jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $112,935 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location quotient: 0.77 5. Tucson, AZ
Total programming engineer jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $86,260 Lowest 10 percent warn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location quotient: 1.92 6. Portland, OR
Total programming engineer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $94,027 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location quotient: 0.96 7. Sacramento, CA
Total programming engineer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $112,837 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location quotient: 0.52 8. Anaheim, CA
Total programming engineer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $103,140 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 2.15 9. Seattle, WA
Total programming engineer jobs: 15 Average annual salary: $95,645 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location quotient: 0.97 10. Albuquerque, NM
Total programming engineer jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $79,647 Lowest 10 percent warn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location quotient: 5.30
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Best cities for programming engineers
- Fremont, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Chandler, AZ
- San Jose, CA
- Tucson, AZ
- Portland, OR
- Sacramento, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Albuquerque, NM
- (10 programming engineer jobs)
- (22 programming engineer jobs)
- (8 programming engineer jobs)
- (10 programming engineer jobs)
- (4 programming engineer jobs)
- (6 programming engineer jobs)
- (2 programming engineer jobs)
- (2 programming engineer jobs)
- (15 programming engineer jobs)
- (13 programming engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a programming engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fremont, CA | $113,044 | $82,000 | 233,136 | 10 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $113,340 | $82,000 | 870,887 | 22 |
| 3 | Chandler, AZ | $86,621 | $64,000 | 247,477 | 8 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $112,935 | $82,000 | 1,025,350 | 10 |
| 5 | Tucson, AZ | $86,260 | $64,000 | 530,706 | 4 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $94,027 | $70,000 | 639,863 | 6 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $112,837 | $82,000 | 495,234 | 2 |
| 8 | Anaheim, CA | $103,140 | $76,000 | 351,043 | 2 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $95,645 | $71,000 | 704,352 | 15 |
| 10 | Albuquerque, NM | $79,647 | $58,000 | 559,277 | 13 |
| 11 | Henderson, NV | $78,594 | $57,000 | 292,969 | 4 |
| 12 | Washington, DC | $110,897 | $82,000 | 681,170 | 5 |
| 13 | Scottsdale, AZ | $86,769 | $64,000 | 246,645 | 1 |
| 14 | Nashville, TN | $81,264 | $62,000 | 660,388 | 2 |
| 15 | Oakland, CA | $113,226 | $82,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $71,055 | $52,000 | 385,809 | 6 |
| 17 | Memphis, TN | $80,505 | $61,000 | 652,717 | 1 |
| 18 | Stockton, CA | $112,733 | $82,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 19 | Boston, MA | $91,519 | $68,000 | 673,184 | 7 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $86,787 | $64,000 | 1,615,017 | 3 |
| 21 | Buffalo, NY | $90,157 | $67,000 | 256,902 | 3 |
| 22 | El Paso, TX | $76,070 | $56,000 | 683,080 | 2 |
| 23 | San Diego, CA | $100,648 | $74,000 | 1,406,630 | 6 |
| 24 | Fresno, CA | $111,339 | $81,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 25 | Bakersfield, CA | $108,624 | $79,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 26 | Virginia Beach, VA | $96,777 | $72,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 27 | Los Angeles, CA | $104,284 | $76,000 | 3,976,322 | 4 |
| 28 | Norfolk, VA | $96,617 | $72,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 29 | Glendale, AZ | $86,800 | $64,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 30 | Chesapeake, VA | $96,482 | $72,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 31 | Tulsa, OK | $67,886 | $51,000 | 403,090 | 8 |
| 32 | Mesa, AZ | $86,616 | $64,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 33 | Austin, TX | $74,977 | $55,000 | 947,890 | 8 |
| 34 | Indianapolis, IN | $71,585 | $54,000 | 855,164 | 5 |
| 35 | Gilbert, AZ | $86,598 | $64,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 36 | Lexington, KY | $68,089 | $51,000 | 318,449 | 2 |
| 37 | Long Beach, CA | $103,191 | $76,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 38 | Baltimore, MD | $90,814 | $67,000 | 614,664 | 3 |
| 39 | Orlando, FL | $72,155 | $51,000 | 277,173 | 9 |
| 40 | Riverside, CA | $102,997 | $75,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 41 | Santa Ana, CA | $102,827 | $75,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 42 | New York, NY | $92,458 | $68,000 | 8,537,673 | 15 |
| 43 | Oklahoma City, OK | $68,929 | $51,000 | 638,367 | 5 |
| 44 | Raleigh, NC | $67,808 | $50,000 | 458,880 | 10 |
| 45 | Irvine, CA | $102,571 | $75,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 46 | Islip, NY | $92,664 | $68,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 47 | Detroit, MI | $79,368 | $59,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 48 | Louisville, KY | $67,560 | $51,000 | 597,337 | 3 |
| 49 | Brookhaven, NY | $92,655 | $68,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 50 | Reno, NV | $82,253 | $60,000 | 245,255 | - |
Highest paying cities for programming engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. programming engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $113,340 |
| 2 | Arlington, VA | $96,945 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $95,645 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $92,458 |
| 5 | Cambridge, MA | $91,464 |
| 6 | Chandler, AZ | $86,621 |
| 7 | Albuquerque, NM | $79,647 |
| 8 | Warren, MI | $79,427 |
| 9 | South Windsor, CT | $75,060 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $74,977 |
| 11 | Boulder, CO | $73,564 |
| 12 | Orlando, FL | $72,155 |
| 13 | Columbus, IN | $71,307 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $71,055 |
| 15 | Tulsa, OK | $67,886 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $67,808 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $61,898 |
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Updated January 8, 2025