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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relays by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relays the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Syracuse ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $124,535/year, better purchasing power than Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue's higher nominal pay of $135,130. San Francisco and New York dominate the headline salary lists for most occupations, but they don't crack the COL-adjusted top 10 here. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue$135,130
#2 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$131,080
#3 Jacksonville$120,840

Best purchasing power

#1 Syracuse$124,535
#2 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$123,149
#3 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue$121,596

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relays excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Syracuse
14% rent burden
$119,230
$124,535
#2
$131,080
$123,149
#3
$135,130
$121,596
#4
Jacksonville
16% rent burden
$120,840
$121,472
#5
$114,170
$119,300
#6
Kansas City
15% rent burden
$108,900
$117,679
#7
$114,480
$110,513
#8
$119,460
$110,335
#9
Columbus
16% rent burden
$105,150
$110,139
#10
Pittsburgh
15% rent burden
$103,950
$109,802
#11
Cincinnati
16% rent burden
$104,520
$109,594
#12
$105,300
$108,166
#13
Cleveland
15% rent burden
$100,110
$106,591
#14
$106,600
$106,281
#15
$103,940
$105,384
#16
$103,120
$105,149
#17
$118,990
$104,772
#18
$106,510
$103,862
#19
Richmond
20% rent burden
$101,140
$103,352
#20
$100,910
$103,032
#21
$109,570
$102,719
#22
$101,890
$100,991
#23
$102,470
$99,399
#24
$105,160
$96,583
#25
$85,460
$90,224

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relays?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $135,130 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $112,608 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relays?

Syracuse has one of the lowest rent burdens for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relays in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,392/month, with a median salary of $119,230.

Where do Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relays get paid the most in nominal terms?

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays the highest nominal median salary at $135,130/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and RelaysView →How to become a electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relayGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →