What does a Engineers, All Other salary really buy you in Delaware?
Delaware is 2.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Delaware's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 98.0, meaning prices are 2.0% lower the national average. A Engineers, All Other earning $85,530 in Delaware has the equivalent purchasing power of $87,275 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Delaware's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $68,390 | $69,785 | +$1,395 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $80,020 | $81,653 | +$1,633 |
| Median (P50) | $85,530 | $87,275 | +$1,745 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $121,950 | $124,438 | +$2,488 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $158,150 | $161,377 | +$3,227 |
Delaware's cost of living is close to the national average, so $85,530 keeps most of its value at $87,275 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Engineers, All Other salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Delaware ranks #47 out of 50 states for Engineers, All Other after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Engineers, All Other in Delaware earns a median salary of $85,530 per year. After adjusting for Delaware's cost of living (RPP=98.0), the real purchasing power is $87,275 — a +2.0% difference.
Delaware's cost of living is 2.0% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Delaware is 98.0 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Engineers, All Other in Delaware: $85,530 x (100 / 98.0) = $87,275. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Engineers, All Other in Delaware enjoys 2.0% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.