Salary Comparison
Materials Engineers: Denton vs Topeka
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Denton, TX
$126,350/yr
Topeka, KS
$89,656/yr
Our recommendation: Denton, TX
Denton offers $1,525 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Denton
Topeka
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$126,350
$89,656
+$36,694
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$7,686
$5,454
+$2,232
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
95
68
+27 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,540
$1,833
+$707
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,450
$920
+$530
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$5,146
$3,621
+$1,525
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
3.03×
2.98×
+0.05×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
10/10 (Comfortable)
9/10 (Comfortable)
+1
A vs B
Denton — Full Details
Topeka — 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.