How much does a Computer Hardware Engineer make?
A Computer Hardware Engineer earns a median annual salary of $161,740 in the United States, which works out to roughly $77.76 per hour for full-time work. Most Computer Hardware Engineers earn between $92,940 at the entry level and $225,330 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $126,090 and $202,990 a year.
That is $100,350 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Computer Hardware Engineer salary range by percentile
Half of all Computer Hardware Engineers earn between $126,090 and $202,990 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $92,940 | $44.68 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $126,090 | $60.62 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $161,740 | $77.76 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $202,990 | $97.59 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $225,330 | $108.33 |
Highest-paying states for Computer Hardware Engineer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Computer Hardware Engineer pay at $185,180 a year, followed by Washington ($169,120) and Massachusetts ($167,600). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $78,320 — a gap of $106,860 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $185,180 | $89.03 | +14% |
| 2 | Washington | $169,120 | $81.31 | +5% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $167,600 | $80.58 | +4% |
| 4 | New Mexico | $165,350 | $79.50 | +2% |
| 5 | Texas | $163,860 | $78.78 | +1% |
Computer Hardware Engineer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 41 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 77,000 people work as Computer Hardware Engineers in the United States. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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