What does a Mechanical Engineer salary really buy you in Vermont?
Vermont is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Vermont's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.1, meaning prices are 1.1% higher the national average. A Mechanical Engineer earning $100,520 in Vermont has the equivalent purchasing power of $99,426 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Vermont's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $76,780 | $75,944 | $-835 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $82,820 | $81,918 | $-901 |
| Median (P50) | $100,520 | $99,426 | $-1,093 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $120,560 | $119,248 | $-1,311 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $140,140 | $138,615 | $-1,524 |
Vermont's cost of living is close to the national average, so $100,520 keeps most of its value at $99,426 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Mechanical Engineer salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Vermont ranks #39 out of 50 states for Mechanical Engineer after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Mechanical Engineer in Vermont earns a median salary of $100,520 per year. After adjusting for Vermont's cost of living (RPP=101.1), the real purchasing power is $99,426 — a -1.1% difference.
Vermont's cost of living is 1.1% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Vermont is 101.1 (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 Mechanical Engineer in Vermont: $100,520 x (100 / 101.1) = $99,426. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.