Best cities for a staff design engineer
The best cities for staff design engineers are Austin, TX, Chandler, AZ, and Plano, TX, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for staff design engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for staff design engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a staff design engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for staff design engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for staff design engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a staff design engineer. While the absolute best city for staff design engineers is Austin, TX, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for staff design engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a staff design engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for staff design engineers in 2026
1. Austin, TX
Total staff design engineer jobs: 177 Average annual salary: $121,425 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location quotient: 51.24 2. Chandler, AZ
Total staff design engineer jobs: 23 Average annual salary: $116,909 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $180,000 Location quotient: 44.86 3. Plano, TX
Total staff design engineer jobs: 24 Average annual salary: $119,714 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location quotient: 14.14 4. San Jose, CA
Total staff design engineer jobs: 252 Average annual salary: $137,377 Lowest 10 percent warn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $212,000 Location quotient: 138.78 5. Fremont, CA
Total staff design engineer jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $137,507 Lowest 10 percent warn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $212,000 Location quotient: 16.36 6. Mesa, AZ
Total staff design engineer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $116,777 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $180,000 Location quotient: 4.11 7. Scottsdale, AZ
Total staff design engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $116,728 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $181,000 Location quotient: 5.58 8. Irvine, CA
Total staff design engineer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $129,584 Lowest 10 percent warn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location quotient: 184.91 9. Houston, TX
Total staff design engineer jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $120,121 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location quotient: 1.21 10. San Francisco, CA
Total staff design engineer jobs: 37 Average annual salary: $138,097 Lowest 10 percent warn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $213,000 Location quotient: 7.16
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Best cities for staff design engineers
- Austin, TX
- Chandler, AZ
- Plano, TX
- San Jose, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Mesa, AZ
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Irvine, CA
- Houston, TX
- San Francisco, CA
- (177 staff design engineer jobs)
- (23 staff design engineer jobs)
- (24 staff design engineer jobs)
- (252 staff design engineer jobs)
- (17 staff design engineer jobs)
- (1 staff design engineer jobs)
- (3 staff design engineer jobs)
- (5 staff design engineer jobs)
- (7 staff design engineer jobs)
- (37 staff design engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a staff design engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin, TX | $121,425 | $77,000 | 947,890 | 177 |
| 2 | Chandler, AZ | $116,909 | $75,000 | 247,477 | 23 |
| 3 | Plano, TX | $119,714 | $76,000 | 286,057 | 24 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $137,377 | $88,000 | 1,025,350 | 252 |
| 5 | Fremont, CA | $137,507 | $88,000 | 233,136 | 17 |
| 6 | Mesa, AZ | $116,777 | $75,000 | 484,587 | 1 |
| 7 | Scottsdale, AZ | $116,728 | $75,000 | 246,645 | 3 |
| 8 | Irvine, CA | $129,584 | $84,000 | 266,122 | 5 |
| 9 | Houston, TX | $120,121 | $76,000 | 2,303,482 | 7 |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $138,097 | $89,000 | 870,887 | 37 |
| 11 | San Diego, CA | $128,823 | $84,000 | 1,406,630 | 33 |
| 12 | El Paso, TX | $125,614 | $81,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 13 | Lubbock, TX | $122,122 | $78,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 14 | Laredo, TX | $120,691 | $77,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $121,426 | $78,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 16 | Fort Worth, TX | $120,536 | $77,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 17 | Santa Ana, CA | $129,733 | $84,000 | 334,217 | 2 |
| 18 | Arlington, TX | $120,467 | $77,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 19 | Dallas, TX | $120,204 | $76,000 | 1,317,929 | 1 |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $116,933 | $75,000 | 1,615,017 | 2 |
| 21 | Irving, TX | $120,175 | $76,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 22 | Garland, TX | $119,873 | $76,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 23 | Glendale, AZ | $117,013 | $75,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 24 | Corpus Christi, TX | $119,822 | $77,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 25 | Tucson, AZ | $116,846 | $75,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 26 | Gilbert, AZ | $116,845 | $75,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 27 | Greensboro, NC | $96,983 | $64,000 | 287,027 | 4 |
| 28 | Oakland, CA | $137,803 | $88,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 29 | Albuquerque, NM | $111,903 | $71,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 30 | Raleigh, NC | $97,563 | $64,000 | 458,880 | 8 |
| 31 | Los Angeles, CA | $130,507 | $85,000 | 3,976,322 | 4 |
| 32 | Stockton, CA | $136,265 | $87,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 33 | Sacramento, CA | $135,327 | $86,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 34 | Long Beach, CA | $130,095 | $84,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 35 | Durham, NC | $97,501 | $64,000 | 263,016 | 3 |
| 36 | Fresno, CA | $134,249 | $86,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 37 | Anaheim, CA | $129,836 | $84,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 38 | Detroit, MI | $96,739 | $64,000 | 672,795 | 2 |
| 39 | Bakersfield, CA | $132,207 | $85,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 40 | Oklahoma City, OK | $104,995 | $66,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 41 | Riverside, CA | $129,287 | $84,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 42 | Colorado Springs, CO | $101,594 | $63,000 | 465,101 | 11 |
| 43 | Chula Vista, CA | $128,779 | $84,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 44 | Tulsa, OK | $100,894 | $63,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 45 | Seattle, WA | $106,593 | $65,000 | 704,352 | 14 |
| 46 | Fort Wayne, IN | $99,006 | $65,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 47 | Indianapolis, IN | $97,304 | $63,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 48 | Memphis, TN | $94,677 | $60,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 49 | Nashville, TN | $94,477 | $60,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 50 | Anchorage, AK | $108,298 | $69,000 | 298,192 | - |
Highest paying cities for staff design engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. staff design engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $138,097 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $121,425 |
| 3 | Tempe, AZ | $116,923 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $112,562 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $106,593 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $104,654 |
| 7 | Andover, MA | $103,017 |
| 8 | Colorado Springs, CO | $101,594 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $100,847 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $97,563 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $93,471 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $88,159 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $85,637 |
| 14 | New York, NY | $80,718 |
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Updated January 8, 2025