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Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers earn a median $161,740 a year in the U.S., with 76,660 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $161,740 a year
- Employment
- 76,660
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +9.1%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 4,100
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $161,740 · $77.76 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $162,670 · $78.21 an hour (estimate error ±0.6%)
- 10th percentile
- $92,940 · $44.68 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $126,090 · $60.62 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $202,990 · $97.59 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $225,330 · $108.33 an hour
- Employment
- 76,660 (estimate error ±1.9%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. May supervise the manufacturing and installation of computer or computer-related equipment and components. Excludes “Software Developers” (15-1252) and “Web Developers” (15-1254).
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 76,100
- Projected for 2035
- 83,000
- Change
- +6,900 (+9.1%)
- Openings each year
- 4,100
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- Not reported
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $185,180 | 19,820 |
| 2 | Washington | $169,120 | 1,800 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $167,600 | 3,150 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $165,350 | 5,260 |
| 5 | Texas | $163,860 | 7,390 |
| 6 | New York | $163,470 | 3,020 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $163,360 | 210 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $159,880 | 90 |
| 9 | Arizona | $158,280 | 3,110 |
| 10 | Colorado | $156,080 | 2,660 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 19,820 | $185,180 |
| Texas | 7,390 | $163,860 |
| New Mexico | 5,260 | $165,350 |
| Florida | 3,290 | $134,160 |
| Massachusetts | 3,150 | $167,600 |
| Arizona | 3,110 | $158,280 |
| New York | 3,020 | $163,470 |
| Colorado | 2,660 | $156,080 |
| Washington | 1,800 | $169,120 |
| Maryland | 1,720 | $152,730 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $209,860 | 7,940 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $203,890 | 2,810 |
| 3 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $202,390 | 120 |
| 4 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $175,110 | 430 |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $174,440 | 3,330 |
| 6 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $174,140 | 130 |
| 7 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $172,210 | 190 |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $169,120 | 1,410 |
| 9 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $168,990 | 490 |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $167,600 | 2,840 |
| 11 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $167,010 | 2,820 |
| 12 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $165,530 | 3,850 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 7,940 | $209,860 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 3,850 | $165,530 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,330 | $174,440 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,840 | $167,600 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,820 | $167,010 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,810 | $203,890 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,870 | $158,530 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,790 | $159,480 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,780 | $160,300 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,570 | $162,870 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,410 | $169,120 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,080 | $133,860 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)1,192 certified filingsMedian offered wage $175,115
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)139 certified filingsMedian offered wage $162,589
Computer Hardware Engineers pay by state
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Related occupations
- Aerospace Engineers
- Agricultural Engineers
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
- Chemical Engineers
- Civil Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- Environmental Engineers
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- Industrial Engineers
- Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
- Materials Engineers
Frequently asked questions
- How much do computer hardware engineers make?
- The median wage for computer hardware engineers in the U.S. is $161,740 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $126,090 and $202,990.
- Which state pays computer hardware engineers the most?
- California has the highest median wage for this occupation at $185,180 a year.
- What is the job outlook for computer hardware engineers?
- BLS projects employment to grow 9.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,100 openings each year on average.
- What education do computer hardware engineers need?
- The typical entry-level education is: bachelor's degree.