Sort by any column. Employment is the number of telecommunications engineering specialists OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Telecommunications Engineering Specialist Salary by State (2026)
Telecommunications Engineering Specialists earn the most in Washington at $168,070 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $78,200 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $134,050. All 52 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $168,070
- National median
- $134,050
- Lowest median
- $78,200
- States reporting
- 52
Washington
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Puerto Rico
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Telecommunications Engineering Specialists
- 1. Washington$168,070 median · $157,056 adjusted · 4,730 employed
- 2. New Jersey$162,350 median · $149,212 adjusted · 5,660 employed
- 3. Maryland$159,460 median · $151,926 adjusted · 5,860 employed
- 4. California$158,870 median · $143,488 adjusted · 14,870 employed
- 5. Massachusetts$155,060 median · $146,619 adjusted · 6,270 employed
Lowest-paying states for Telecommunications Engineering Specialists
- 52. Puerto Rico$78,200 median · no price parity · 240 employed
- 51. Mississippi$90,990 median · $104,643 adjusted · N/A employed
- 50. Wyoming$100,520 median · $108,446 adjusted · 50 employed
- 49. Kansas$100,610 median · $111,704 adjusted · 1,770 employed
- 48. Iowa$103,050 median · $117,420 adjusted · 1,170 employed
Telecommunications Engineering Specialist salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $168,070 | $126,470 | $200,940 | 4,730 | $157,056 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $162,350 | $129,110 | $185,710 | 5,660 | $149,212 |
| 3 | Maryland | $159,460 | $124,700 | $176,240 | 5,860 | $151,926 |
| 4 | California | $158,870 | $127,610 | $197,100 | 14,870 | $143,488 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $155,060 | $120,020 | $172,800 | 6,270 | $146,619 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $153,390 | $116,770 | $199,420 | 420 | $173,154 |
| 7 | Delaware | $148,390 | $113,060 | $170,220 | 760 | $148,675 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $143,890 | $126,070 | $173,920 | 1,570 | $138,877 |
| 9 | Virginia | $141,340 | $109,760 | $174,510 | 9,380 | $139,797 |
| 10 | New York | $140,390 | $108,230 | $173,220 | 9,800 | $130,086 |
| 11 | Colorado | $139,230 | $123,640 | $168,880 | 16,380 | $135,107 |
| 12 | Nevada | $138,060 | $105,770 | $151,570 | 1,010 | $138,089 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $137,670 | $112,320 | $171,280 | 1,490 | $125,267 |
| 14 | Oregon | $135,660 | $105,750 | $161,020 | 1,540 | $131,249 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $134,990 | $107,970 | $168,620 | 1,950 | $143,991 |
| 16 | Georgia | $133,890 | $97,240 | $166,580 | 7,690 | $139,044 |
| 17 | Texas | $133,310 | $100,390 | $166,220 | 13,650 | $137,352 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $133,270 | $104,140 | $157,130 | 2,040 | $135,133 |
| 19 | Florida | $132,800 | $103,920 | $166,910 | 9,370 | $128,416 |
| 20 | Illinois | $132,790 | $105,410 | $166,720 | 7,810 | $132,846 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $131,840 | $102,230 | $165,880 | 6,080 | $135,121 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $131,720 | $105,190 | $159,690 | 2,170 | $139,986 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $131,320 | $107,310 | $167,320 | 460 | $128,393 |
| 24 | Ohio | $131,070 | $102,630 | $162,400 | 5,150 | $141,279 |
| 25 | Arizona | $130,890 | $101,660 | $164,990 | 3,990 | $130,010 |
| 26 | Alabama | $130,810 | $99,660 | $157,900 | 4,200 | $147,270 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $127,320 | $104,220 | $161,840 | 8,350 | $134,979 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $125,420 | $94,770 | $169,430 | 560 | $120,405 |
| 29 | Indiana | $124,190 | $93,120 | $150,100 | 2,030 | $133,067 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $123,860 | $102,050 | $148,060 | 4,330 | $134,821 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $122,520 | $90,760 | $131,210 | 360 | $136,898 |
| 32 | Utah | $121,000 | $99,180 | $150,170 | 1,330 | $122,390 |
| 33 | Alaska | $119,720 | $102,790 | $156,440 | 120 | $116,961 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $116,420 | $88,720 | $139,070 | 1,350 | $129,208 |
| 35 | Michigan | $112,040 | $87,100 | $145,040 | 3,210 | $116,445 |
| 36 | Vermont | $110,930 | $95,000 | $131,630 | 130 | $113,242 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $110,400 | $97,780 | $137,770 | 910 | $126,989 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $109,450 | $85,440 | $133,690 | 1,320 | $124,597 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $109,080 | $85,400 | $126,550 | 420 | $118,293 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $108,990 | $93,950 | $133,480 | 230 | $122,517 |
| 41 | Maine | $108,570 | $99,130 | $128,390 | 570 | $111,870 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $108,000 | $81,610 | $135,310 | 320 | $98,226 |
| 43 | Idaho | $107,620 | $81,560 | $137,770 | 720 | $112,698 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $106,620 | $96,270 | $128,380 | 470 | $120,875 |
| 45 | Montana | $104,300 | $89,830 | $130,710 | 250 | $110,201 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $103,740 | $78,640 | $130,330 | 1,710 | $115,063 |
| 47 | Missouri | $103,130 | $78,830 | $136,170 | 3,360 | $113,558 |
| 48 | Iowa | $103,050 | $80,120 | $131,440 | 1,170 | $117,420 |
| 49 | Kansas | $100,610 | $76,440 | $129,870 | 1,770 | $111,704 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $100,520 | $82,800 | $102,060 | 50 | $108,446 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $90,990 | $74,710 | $132,600 | N/A | $104,643 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $78,200 | $60,070 | $98,680 | 240 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Telecommunications Engineering Specialists, that changes the ranking: Washington leads on raw pay at $168,070, while South Dakota leads once prices are taken into account at $173,154.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Telecommunications Engineering Specialist pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Telecommunications Engineering Specialists the most?
Washington reports the highest median wage for Telecommunications Engineering Specialists at $168,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by New Jersey ($162,350) and Maryland ($159,460).
Which state pays Telecommunications Engineering Specialists the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Telecommunications Engineering Specialists at $78,200 a year, $89,870 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Telecommunications Engineering Specialists earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts South Dakota first at $173,154 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $153,390. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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