17 Series · SOC 17-2061
Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $161,740
- Median / year
- $225,330
- Top 10% earn
- +7.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 76,660
- US workers
Computer Hardware Engineers earn a median of $161,740 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $161,740, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $92,940 (10th percentile) to $225,330 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 76,660 US workers. California pays the most ($185,180), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Computer Hardware Engineers earn a median of $161,740, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 96% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Architecture and Engineering, it ranks #1 of 36 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 7.3% by 2033.
- $161,740
- Median annual wage
- Top 4%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #1 of 36
- in Architecture and Engineering
- 2.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: California at $185,180. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Computer Hardware Engineers (SOC 17-2061) pays a national median of $161,740 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $92,940 at the 10th percentile to $225,330 at the 90th, with a mean of $162,670 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 76,660 Americans work in this occupation across 42 reporting states and 99 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +7.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,700 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $185,180, which is +14% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $209,860 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$161,740
per year
Median Hourly
$77.76/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$162,670
average
Employment
76,660
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Computer Hardware Engineers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$161,740 Top 4% higher than 96% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 17-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Computer Hardware Engineers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 17-series occupations with growth data, Computer Hardware Engineers sits on the faster-growing side at +7.3% growth and $161,740 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+7.3%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
4,700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
2/100K
Injury Rate
0.5/100
Danger Index
3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Computer Hardware Engineers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology.
- ▸ Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
- ▸ Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
- ▸ Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
- ▸ Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.
- ▸ Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data.
- ▸ Direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed.
- ▸ Provide technical support to designers, marketing and sales departments, suppliers, engineers and other team members throughout the product development and implementation process.
- ▸ Select hardware and material, assuring compliance with specifications and product requirements.
- ▸ Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$92,940
25th Percentile
$126,090
Median
$161,740
75th Percentile
$202,990
90th Percentile
$225,330
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 42 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $185,180 | +14% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $169,120 | +5% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $167,600 | +4% above national |
| 4 | New Mexico | $165,350 | +2% above national |
| 5 | Texas | $163,860 | +1% above national |
| 6 | New York | $163,470 | +1% above national |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $163,360 | +1% above national |
| 8 | Hawaii | $159,880 | 1% below national |
| 9 | Arizona | $158,280 | 2% below national |
| 10 | Colorado | $156,080 | 3% below national |
| 11 | Maryland | $152,730 | 6% below national |
| 12 | New Jersey | $142,880 | 12% below national |
| 13 | Virginia | $139,030 | 14% below national |
| 14 | Alabama | $136,990 | 15% below national |
| 15 | Delaware | $135,690 | 16% below national |
| 16 | Nebraska | $134,950 | 17% below national |
| 17 | North Carolina | $134,670 | 17% below national |
| 18 | Minnesota | $134,300 | 17% below national |
| 19 | Florida | $134,160 | 17% below national |
| 20 | Illinois | $133,220 | 18% below national |
| 21 | Idaho | $131,570 | 19% below national |
| 22 | Tennessee | $130,830 | 19% below national |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $129,140 | 20% below national |
| 24 | Iowa | $125,120 | 23% below national |
| 25 | South Carolina | $125,110 | 23% below national |
| 26 | Arkansas | $120,290 | 26% below national |
| 27 | Michigan | $119,670 | 26% below national |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $119,510 | 26% below national |
| 29 | Ohio | $118,160 | 27% below national |
| 30 | Nevada | $116,530 | 28% below national |
| 31 | Kentucky | $116,200 | 28% below national |
| 32 | Utah | $106,950 | 34% below national |
| 33 | Missouri | $103,980 | 36% below national |
| 34 | Kansas | $101,750 | 37% below national |
| 35 | South Dakota | $101,400 | 37% below national |
| 36 | Georgia | $100,210 | 38% below national |
| 37 | Indiana | $98,350 | 39% below national |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $95,600 | 41% below national |
| 39 | Puerto Rico | $85,660 | 47% below national |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $83,670 | 48% below national |
| 41 | Louisiana | $83,550 | 48% below national |
| 42 | Mississippi | $78,320 | 52% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 99 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $209,860 | +30% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $203,890 | +26% above national |
| 3 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $202,390 | +25% above national |
| 4 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $175,110 | +8% above national |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $174,440 | +8% above national |
| 6 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $174,140 | +8% above national |
| 7 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $172,210 | +6% above national |
| 8 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $169,370 | +5% above national |
| 9 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $169,120 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $168,990 | +4% above national |
| 11 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $167,600 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $167,010 | +3% above national |
| 13 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $165,530 | +2% above national |
| 14 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $162,870 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Boulder, CO | $161,720 | same as national |
| 16 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $161,160 | same as national |
| 17 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $160,300 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $159,480 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $158,530 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $156,750 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $153,570 | 5% below national |
| 22 | Utica-Rome, NY | $151,330 | 6% below national |
| 23 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $150,530 | 7% below national |
| 24 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $148,440 | 8% below national |
| 25 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $144,660 | 11% below national |
| 26 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $143,020 | 12% below national |
| 27 | Worcester, MA | $142,780 | 12% below national |
| 28 | Huntsville, AL | $142,670 | 12% below national |
| 29 | Syracuse, NY | $141,180 | 13% below national |
| 30 | Bend, OR | $140,390 | 13% below national |
| 31 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $137,740 | 15% below national |
| 32 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $137,450 | 15% below national |
| 33 | Colorado Springs, CO | $136,920 | 15% below national |
| 34 | Omaha, NE-IA | $136,600 | 16% below national |
| 35 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $136,300 | 16% below national |
| 36 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $135,220 | 16% below national |
| 37 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $134,300 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Montgomery, AL | $134,190 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $134,060 | 17% below national |
| 40 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $133,860 | 17% below national |
| 41 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $133,430 | 18% below national |
| 42 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $132,660 | 18% below national |
| 43 | Richmond, VA | $132,270 | 18% below national |
| 44 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $131,710 | 19% below national |
| 45 | Boise City, ID | $131,570 | 19% below national |
| 46 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $131,210 | 19% below national |
| 47 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $130,540 | 19% below national |
| 48 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $130,050 | 20% below national |
| 49 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $129,990 | 20% below national |
| 50 | Columbia, SC | $129,830 | 20% below national |
| 51 | Tucson, AZ | $129,340 | 20% below national |
| 52 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $128,060 | 21% below national |
| 53 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $127,730 | 21% below national |
| 54 | Lexington Park, MD | $127,620 | 21% below national |
| 55 | Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $127,400 | 21% below national |
| 56 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $126,510 | 22% below national |
| 57 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $126,460 | 22% below national |
| 58 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $126,180 | 22% below national |
| 59 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $125,680 | 22% below national |
| 60 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $125,060 | 23% below national |
| 61 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $124,510 | 23% below national |
| 62 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $123,950 | 23% below national |
| 63 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $123,370 | 24% below national |
| 64 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $122,860 | 24% below national |
| 65 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $122,840 | 24% below national |
| 66 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $122,660 | 24% below national |
| 67 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $121,160 | 25% below national |
| 68 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $121,030 | 25% below national |
| 69 | Columbus, OH | $120,950 | 25% below national |
| 70 | Rochester, NY | $120,550 | 25% below national |
| 71 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $119,670 | 26% below national |
| 72 | Cleveland, OH | $119,450 | 26% below national |
| 73 | Akron, OH | $118,130 | 27% below national |
| 74 | Las Cruces, NM | $117,150 | 28% below national |
| 75 | Ann Arbor, MI | $117,040 | 28% below national |
| 76 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $115,220 | 29% below national |
| 77 | Charlottesville, VA | $113,510 | 30% below national |
| 78 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $112,490 | 30% below national |
| 79 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $109,120 | 33% below national |
| 80 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $108,480 | 33% below national |
| 81 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $108,360 | 33% below national |
| 82 | New Haven, CT | $108,060 | 33% below national |
| 83 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $106,370 | 34% below national |
| 84 | Wichita, KS | $105,680 | 35% below national |
| 85 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $104,990 | 35% below national |
| 86 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $102,880 | 36% below national |
| 87 | Springfield, MO | $102,360 | 37% below national |
| 88 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $100,220 | 38% below national |
| 89 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $99,720 | 38% below national |
| 90 | Logan, UT-ID | $99,570 | 38% below national |
| 91 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $99,010 | 39% below national |
| 92 | Aguadilla, PR | $98,520 | 39% below national |
| 93 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $97,780 | 40% below national |
| 94 | Oklahoma City, OK | $96,080 | 41% below national |
| 95 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $93,590 | 42% below national |
| 96 | Tulsa, OK | $91,290 | 44% below national |
| 97 | Baton Rouge, LA | $83,550 | 48% below national |
| 98 | Madison, WI | $82,200 | 49% below national |
| 99 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $81,830 | 49% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 17 (architecture and engineering) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Computer Hardware Engineers make? ▼
What state pays Computer Hardware Engineers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Computer Hardware Engineers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Computer Hardware Engineers? ▼
Is Computer Hardware Engineers a good career? ▼
How does Computer Hardware Engineers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Computer Hardware Engineers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Computer Hardware Engineers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $202,990/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $185,180/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.