Housing
Housing dominates the budget at $2,828 monthly, with a 1-bedroom city center apartment costing $2,576 and utilities adding $158. Internet runs $69 monthly, making housing account for 85% of total living expenses in this college town.
Market ranges & how to evaluate your offer
Most offers in Davis fall between $147k–$240k depending on seniority, location, and role scope.
Local vs National
Davis
Salary data is self-reported and varies by scope, company, and location. Use ranges, not single numbers.
Compare your total comp for Fpga Engineer — pick seniority, enter an offer, and preview the layout. Percentiles use your selected seniority when market data is available.
Seniority-level breakdown for this market.
Cost of living breakdown for Davis, CA market.
Estimated monthly costs for this basket run about 135% of our comparable national baseline—plan for higher everyday spend than typical US markets.
How the estimated monthly cost bundle splits across categories for a typical Fpga Engineer earner.
$3,311.49/ mo
HOUSING
$2,828.00 USD (85.4% of est. monthly costs)
FOOD
$243.32 USD (7.3% of est. monthly costs)
TRANSPORT
$112.50 USD (3.4% of est. monthly costs)
LIFESTYLE
$127.67 USD (3.9% of est. monthly costs)
Housing dominates the budget at $2,828 monthly, with a 1-bedroom city center apartment costing $2,576 and utilities adding $158. Internet runs $69 monthly, making housing account for 85% of total living expenses in this college town.
Food costs remain modest at $243 monthly, with restaurant meals at $20 and basic groceries like eggs ($3.22 per dozen) and chicken ($10.28/kg) reasonably priced. Dining expenses stay well below typical California metro levels, reflecting Davis's college town character.
Transportation costs $113 monthly for a public transit pass, which covers the city's bus system connecting UC Davis campus with residential areas. The single transit option reflects Davis's compact, bike-friendly layout where many professionals commute by bicycle.
Discretionary spending totals $128 monthly, with gym memberships at $42 and movie tickets at $18. Coffee costs $5 per cappuccino, making lifestyle expenses relatively affordable compared to the dominant housing costs.
Salary data only matters if you land the interview. Get a free AI-powered resume review and see how yours stacks up.
Location-specific ranges with optional cost-of-living adjustment.
FPGA Engineers face significant location-based pay variations, with Silicon Valley and Austin offering $140K-180K base salaries while similar roles in Denver or Raleigh typically range $110K-145K. Many semiconductor companies now offer national pay bands to attract talent regardless of location, particularly for specialized FPGA expertise where talent is scarce.
The hybrid work trend has created tiered compensation structures for FPGA Engineers, with fully remote positions often paying 5-10% less than on-site roles due to hardware lab access requirements. When negotiating remote arrangements, emphasize your ability to work independently on design and verification tasks while being available for critical lab sessions, and consider proposing a hybrid schedule that maximizes both flexibility and hands-on hardware access.
Moving from expensive metros like San Francisco ($180K average) to lower-cost areas while maintaining remote work can dramatically improve purchasing power - the same salary in Austin or Phoenix provides 25-40% more buying power for housing and living expenses. Factor in state tax differences when evaluating remote opportunities, as Texas and Florida locations can provide additional take-home pay advantages for FPGA Engineers.
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How adjacent roles compare in pay and scope.
$112k-$520k
High overlap in hardware-engineer roles
Details$156k-$498k
High overlap in hardware-engineer roles
Details$152k-$475k
High overlap in hardware-engineer roles
Details$85k-$288k
High overlap in hardware-engineer roles
Details$170k-$439k
High overlap in hardware-engineer roles
Details$132k-$193k
High overlap in hardware-engineer roles
DetailsPractical steps that move the number without damaging the relationship.
Start your ask above the median. You'll rarely be offered more than you ask, so anchor high and let the employer negotiate you down.
Stronger approach:
Say 'market data puts this role at $X–$Y' — not 'I was hoping for more'. External benchmarks are harder to argue against than personal expectations.
Stronger approach:
When base is stuck, negotiate equity vesting schedule, signing bonus, or accelerated refresh grants. Total comp has more levers than base alone.
Stronger approach:
Ask for 48 hours to review. This creates time to counter and signals that you take offers seriously — not that you are uncertain.
Stronger approach:
Generate an aware negotiation email using Google market positioning data.
Mock interviews tailored to Google's process and evaluation criteria.
Common questions about Fpga Engineer compensation.
Tools built for professionals evaluating offers and preparing for interviews.
Our AI Interview Copilot listens to your live interview and feeds you real-time answers, so you walk in confident and walk out with the offer.
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