Computer Hardware Engineers salary
Computer Hardware Engineers earn a median of $161,740 a year ($77.76/hr) in the U.S. – from $78,320 in Mississippi to $185,180 in California. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$77.76/hr · $161,740 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$92,940$44.68/hr
75% earn more$126,090$60.62/hr
half earn more, half less$161,740$77.76/hr
25% earn more$202,990$97.59/hr
top 10% earn more$225,330$108.33/hr
pulled up by top earners$162,670$78.21/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for computer hardware engineers. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
19,820 jobs · $89.03/hr$185,180
1,800 jobs · $81.31/hr$169,120
3,150 jobs · $80.58/hr$167,600
5,260 jobs · $79.50/hr$165,350
7,390 jobs · $78.78/hr$163,860
3,020 jobs · $78.59/hr$163,470
210 jobs · $78.54/hr$163,360
90 jobs · $76.87/hr$159,880
3,110 jobs · $76.10/hr$158,280
2,660 jobs · $75.04/hr$156,080
1,720 jobs · $73.43/hr$152,730
580 jobs · $68.69/hr$142,880
1,720 jobs · $66.84/hr$139,030
680 jobs · $65.86/hr$136,990
30 jobs · $65.24/hr$135,690
80 jobs · $64.88/hr$134,950
1,340 jobs · $64.74/hr$134,670
770 jobs · $64.57/hr$134,300
3,290 jobs · $64.50/hr$134,160
1,420 jobs · $64.05/hr$133,220
920 jobs · $63.26/hr$131,570
jobs n/a · $62.90/hr$130,830
310 jobs · $62.09/hr$129,140
130 jobs · $60.15/hr$125,120
690 jobs · $60.15/hr$125,110
160 jobs · $57.83/hr$120,290
1,420 jobs · $57.53/hr$119,670
390 jobs · $57.46/hr$119,510
580 jobs · $56.81/hr$118,160
160 jobs · $56.03/hr$116,530
500 jobs · $55.86/hr$116,200
430 jobs · $51.42/hr$106,950
900 jobs · $49.99/hr$103,980
220 jobs · $48.92/hr$101,750
160 jobs · $48.75/hr$101,400
650 jobs · $48.18/hr$100,210
320 jobs · $47.28/hr$98,350
180 jobs · $45.96/hr$95,600
370 jobs · $41.18/hr$85,660
270 jobs · $40.23/hr$83,670
270 jobs · $40.17/hr$83,550
150 jobs · $37.66/hr$78,320
No wage estimate published for: Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia.
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 17-2061. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do computer hardware engineers make?
The median wage for computer hardware engineers in the U.S. was $77.76 an hour or $161,740 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $126,090 and $202,990 a year.
Which state pays computer hardware engineers the most?
California has the highest median wage for computer hardware engineers: $185,180 a year. The lowest published median is in Mississippi at $78,320. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many computer hardware engineers are there?
BLS estimates 76,660 computer hardware engineers were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.