Salary Comparison
Materials Engineers: Boulder vs Anchorage
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Boulder, CO
$128,937/yr
Anchorage, AK
$81,980/yr
Our recommendation: Boulder, CO
Boulder offers $2,179 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Boulder
Anchorage
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$128,937
$81,980
+$46,957
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$7,844
$4,987
+$2,857
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
127
101
+26 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,403
$2,725
+$678
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$2,150
$1,450
+$700
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$4,441
$2,262
+$2,179
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
2.31×
1.83×
+0.48×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
8/10 (Comfortable)
7/10 (Moderate)
+1
A vs B
Boulder — Full Details
Anchorage — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.