Computer Hardware Engineers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for computer hardware engineers is $161,740, or $77.76 per hour. About 76,660 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $185,180 in California to $78,320 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 41 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $185,180 | $89.03 | 19,820 | 2.21 |
| 2 | Washington | $169,120 | $81.31 | 1,800 | 1.03 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $167,600 | $80.58 | 3,150 | 1.76 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $165,350 | $79.50 | 5,260 | 12.25 |
| 5 | Texas | $163,860 | $78.78 | 7,390 | 1.06 |
| 6 | New York | $163,470 | $78.59 | 3,020 | 0.63 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $163,360 | $78.54 | 210 | 0.62 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $159,880 | $76.87 | 90 | 0.28 |
| 9 | Arizona | $158,280 | $76.10 | 3,110 | 1.94 |
| 10 | Colorado | $156,080 | $75.04 | 2,660 | 1.87 |
| 11 | Maryland | $152,730 | $73.43 | 1,720 | 1.27 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $142,880 | $68.69 | 580 | 0.27 |
| 13 | Virginia | $139,030 | $66.84 | 1,720 | 0.85 |
| 14 | Alabama | $136,990 | $65.86 | 680 | 0.66 |
| 15 | Delaware | $135,690 | $65.24 | 30 | 0.13 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $134,950 | $64.88 | 80 | 0.16 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $134,670 | $64.74 | 1,340 | 0.55 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $134,300 | $64.57 | 770 | 0.53 |
| 19 | Florida | $134,160 | $64.50 | 3,290 | 0.67 |
| 20 | Illinois | $133,220 | $64.05 | 1,420 | 0.47 |
| 21 | Idaho | $131,570 | $63.26 | 920 | 2.18 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $130,830 | $62.90 | — | — |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $129,140 | $62.09 | 310 | 0.92 |
| 24 | Iowa | $125,120 | $60.15 | 130 | 0.18 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $125,110 | $60.15 | 690 | 0.61 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $120,290 | $57.83 | 160 | 0.25 |
| 27 | Michigan | $119,670 | $57.53 | 1,420 | 0.66 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $119,510 | $57.46 | 390 | 1.58 |
| 29 | Ohio | $118,160 | $56.81 | 580 | 0.21 |
| 30 | Nevada | $116,530 | $56.03 | 160 | 0.22 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $116,200 | $55.86 | 500 | 0.50 |
| 32 | Utah | $106,950 | $51.42 | 430 | 0.50 |
| 33 | Missouri | $103,980 | $49.99 | 900 | 0.62 |
| 34 | Kansas | $101,750 | $48.92 | 220 | 0.32 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $101,400 | $48.75 | 160 | 0.73 |
| 36 | Georgia | $100,210 | $48.18 | 650 | 0.27 |
| 37 | Indiana | $98,350 | $47.28 | 320 | 0.20 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $95,600 | $45.96 | 180 | 0.21 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $83,670 | $40.23 | 270 | 0.19 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $83,550 | $40.17 | 270 | 0.28 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $78,320 | $37.66 | 150 | 0.26 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do computer hardware engineers make?
The median annual wage for computer hardware engineers in the United States is $161,740, or $77.76 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $92,940, and the top 10% earn $225,330.
How many computer hardware engineers are employed in the U.S.?
About 76,660 people work as computer hardware engineers nationwide.
Which state pays computer hardware engineers the most?
California pays the most at a median of $185,180, followed by Washington ($169,120) and Massachusetts ($167,600).
Which state pays computer hardware engineers the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $78,320.
Where are computer hardware engineers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New Mexico at 12.25×.