Key Takeaways
- Two California metros—San Jose and San Francisco—lead the list of areas offering the strongest odds of earning six-figure salaries.
- ScoutLogic compared nearly 40 U.S. metro areas to identify where high-paying jobs and reasonable costs best align for workers in 2025.
- Though Boston and Seattle have more six-figure jobs than some peers, they ranked below more affordable metros like Denver, Washington, D.C., and Portland.
For many Americans, reaching a six-figure salary marks a significant career milestone—but in addition to your skills, education, and industry, where you live can make all the difference.
In some metropolitan areas in the U.S., a $100,000-plus salary is more attainable than in others. Tech hubs, government centers, and regions with strong corporate presence tend to offer more high-paying roles, while living costs determine how far those earnings go. A recent study by ScoutLogic compared nearly 40 metropolitan areas nationwide to find where workers have the greatest chance of earning six figures right now—and the top locations are spread across the country.
How Location Shapes Your Odds of Earning $100K
The study found that geography plays a measurable role in salary potential. Regions with thriving tech, government, and corporate sectors tend to offer more six-figure opportunities, while local costs determine how far those earnings go.
ScoutLogic, a provider of background screening services, determined the best areas for six-figure salaries by evaluating the percentage of jobs paying an annual salary of at least $100,000, median household income, salary growth, and estimated monthly expenses. Based on the data, each metro area received a score based on the opportunity for a six-figure salary, taking typical monthly expenses in the region into account. The study included data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and cost-of-living databases.
“This study reveals which metros create the prime conditions for high earners: strong job markets, competitive salaries, and manageable living expenses,” said David Garcia, co-founder and CEO of ScoutLogic. Location isn’t the only factor, though; it’s also important to consider where your skills are in demand, he said.
Why It Matters to You
Where you live plays a major role in your earning potential. This study highlights cities that combine strong job markets, solid salaries, and manageable living costs.
The 5 U.S. Metros Leading the Six-Figure Salary Rankings
California claims the top two spots on the list: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont. San Jose, the largest city in Silicon Valley, hosts major tech companies such as Apple and Google. San Francisco, often considered the financial hub of the western U.S., is home to leading brokerages and banking firms.
In third place is Colorado’s Denver-Aurora-Centennial area, which offers a wide range of opportunities in tech, aerospace, and energy. Lockheed Martin (LMT) and Northrop Grumman (NOC) are among the major space employers to have a strong presence in the region.
Next is the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria region, encompassing D.C. and parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia. Alongside the federal government, key industries here include healthcare, education, and cybersecurity.
Rounding out the top five is the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area, which spans Oregon and Washington. Nike (NKE), Fred Meyer, and Columbia Sportswear (COLM) are headquartered here, and major employers such as Intel (INTC) and Boeing (BA) continue to drive the region’s job growth.
How Other Major Metros Compare
The remaining metro areas in the top 10 are spread across the country and balance pay potential with cost of living. Boston and Seattle each have a higher share of six-figure jobs than cities like Denver or Portland but scored lower overall because of steeper living costs.
San Diego, Charlotte, and Salt Lake City also rank in the top 10, combining solid income potential with comparatively moderate expenses. Salt Lake City stands out as the most affordable of the group, showing that even a smaller share of $100,000-plus jobs can still go a long way there.
Here are all of the metro areas included in the study:
Top U.S. Metro Areas for $100,000 Salaries
City
Percentage of jobs paying $100K+
Median household income
Annual salary growth rate (2023 to 2024)
Estimated monthly costs
Six-Figure Opportunity Score
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
64.7%
$157,444
6.5%
$1,547
93
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
59.8%
$133,780
2.8%
$1,616
63
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
18.4%
$102,339
5.4%
$1,317
41
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
26.4%
$123,896
2.3%
$1,485
37
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
13.2%
$94,573
5.7%
$1,310
36
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
10.0%
$95,045
5.4%
$1,139
35
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
22.6%
$112,484
3.0%
$1,480
34
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
21.2%
$112,594
3.7%
$1,608
34
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
16.6%
$102,285
3.6%
$1,381
30
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
13.9%
$80,201
5.0%
$1,233
30
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
13.7%
$97,638
3.2%
$1,140
29
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
16.2%
$93,525
3.8%
$1,406
28
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
11.3%
$86,338
4.8%
$1,339
28
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
15.3%
$97,300
3.2%
$1,272
28
Sacramento–Roseville–Folsom, CA
10.6%
$93,986
4.9%
$1,449
28
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
12.1%
$80,458
4.4%
$1,134
27
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
13.1%
$87,155
3.9%
$1,255
26
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
11.5%
$84,703
4.1%
$1,239
25
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
13.3%
$98,180
2.8%
$1,248
25
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
9.5%
$82,499
4.5%
$1,225
25
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
12.3%
$75,123
4.4%
$1,205
24
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
11.0%
$79,490
3.7%
$1,064
24
Raleigh-Cary, NC
12.5%
$96,066
2.7%
$1,209
24
Jacksonville, FL
7.6%
$77,013
4.6%
$1,110
24
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
19.0%
$97,334
3.1%
$1,724
23
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
12.5%
$88,850
3.0%
$1,313
22
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
11.1%
$73,481
4.6%
$1,364
22
Kansas City, MO-KS
6.8%
$81,927
3.9%
$1,145
22
Columbus, OH
10.4%
$79,847
4.0%
$1,289
22
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
8.1%
$77,065
3.9%
$1,218
20
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
10.6%
$71,254
3.8%
$1,232
19
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
7.2%
$75,611
3.9%
$1,174
19
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
8.2%
$76,404
3.5%
$1,134
19
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
12.4%
$89,273
2.6%
$1,383
18
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
7.7%
$74,297
3.0%
$1,079
17
Cleveland, OH
9.6%
$68,507
3.1%
$1,162
16
St. Louis, MO-IL
9.2%
$78,225
2.7%
$1,200
16
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV
6.4%
$73,845
2.2%
$1,172
11
Pittsburgh, PA
6.8%
$73,942
2.1%
$1,282
9
Source: ScoutLogic
The findings highlight where six-figure earnings are the most attainable, showing how job markets and living costs vary widely across U.S. metro areas.