The national median salary for computer hardware engineers is $161,740, with a salary spread of $132,390 from the 10th to 90th percentile -- a 82% range that reflects differences in experience, location, and industry. The mean salary of $162,670 is higher than the median, indicating that top earners pull the average upward. The highest-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, where the median reaches $209,860.
| City | Median | P25 | P75 | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $209,860 | $171,200 | $230,510 | 7,940 |
| San Francisco, CA | $203,890 | $151,970 | $221,290 | 2,810 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $202,390 | $100,150 | $217,140 | 120 |
| Durham, NC | $175,110 | $142,820 | $234,390 | 430 |
| San Diego, CA | $174,440 | $133,890 | $218,150 | 3,330 |
| Manchester, NH | $174,140 | $99,740 | $192,500 | 130 |
| Allentown, PA-NJ | $172,210 | $170,080 | $208,230 | 190 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | $169,370 | $107,120 | $214,600 | 80 |
| Seattle, WA | $169,120 | $142,320 | $210,230 | 1,410 |
| Fort Collins, CO | $168,990 | $129,060 | $213,130 | 490 |
| Boston, MA-NH | $167,600 | $130,970 | $210,910 | 2,840 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $167,010 | $115,230 | $168,610 | 2,820 |
| Austin, TX | $165,530 | $128,130 | $208,830 | 3,850 |
| Dallas, TX | $162,870 | $115,610 | $195,350 | 1,570 |
| Boulder, CO | $161,720 | $132,770 | $205,000 | 650 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $161,160 | $116,410 | $187,980 | 60 |
| New York, NY-NJ | $160,300 | $134,020 | $205,640 | 1,780 |
| Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $159,480 | $117,820 | $191,940 | 1,790 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $158,530 | $131,130 | $198,360 | 1,870 |
| Baltimore, MD | $156,750 | $118,400 | $184,500 | 740 |
| Utica, NY | $151,330 | $114,700 | $178,940 | 90 |
| Palm Bay, FL | $150,530 | $123,840 | $169,150 | 500 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $148,440 | $121,180 | $174,240 | 60 |
| Denver, CO | $144,660 | $126,470 | $182,190 | 970 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $143,020 | $100,380 | $159,910 | 60 |
| Worcester, MA | $142,780 | $128,630 | $180,990 | 140 |
| Huntsville, AL | $142,670 | $111,530 | $165,860 | 560 |
| Syracuse, NY | $141,180 | $114,050 | $178,840 | 100 |
| Bend, OR | $140,390 | $109,580 | $160,040 | 40 |
| Houston, TX | $137,740 | $87,550 | $172,330 | 840 |
| Nashville, TN | $137,450 | $110,000 | $150,270 | -- |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $136,920 | $107,570 | $167,480 | 490 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $136,600 | $127,710 | $156,360 | 60 |
| Orlando, FL | $136,300 | $110,650 | $165,800 | 650 |
| Miami, FL | $135,220 | $101,680 | $170,520 | 460 |
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | $134,300 | $108,630 | $160,660 | 550 |
| Montgomery, AL | $134,190 | $82,410 | $161,470 | 40 |
| Riverside, CA | $134,060 | $110,140 | $171,350 | 200 |
| Chicago, IL-IN | $133,860 | $97,820 | $169,550 | 1,080 |
| Charleston, SC | $133,430 | $105,980 | $139,930 | 270 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $132,660 | $107,390 | $166,290 | 140 |
| Richmond, VA | $132,270 | $84,030 | $169,100 | 70 |
| Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $131,710 | $102,190 | $164,280 | 280 |
| Boise City, ID | $131,570 | $100,770 | $169,540 | 830 |
| Raleigh, NC | $130,540 | $95,360 | $165,500 | 310 |
| Buffalo, NY | $130,050 | $101,530 | $154,190 | 110 |
| Detroit, MI | $129,990 | $100,820 | $167,740 | 1,060 |
| Columbia, SC | $129,830 | $106,590 | $164,070 | 70 |
| Tucson, AZ | $129,340 | $103,670 | $160,280 | 180 |
| Crestview, FL | $128,060 | $97,470 | $173,770 | 120 |
| Oxnard, CA | $127,730 | $98,160 | $156,350 | 380 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $127,620 | $100,490 | $156,750 | 210 |
| San Antonio, TX | $126,510 | $84,960 | $164,280 | 150 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $126,460 | $99,530 | $146,760 | 160 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $126,180 | $102,860 | $126,180 | 160 |
| Tampa, FL | $125,680 | $80,030 | $164,260 | 580 |
| Providence, RI-MA | $125,060 | $99,130 | $153,650 | 460 |
| Little Rock, AR | $124,510 | $81,600 | $164,270 | 70 |
| Greensboro, NC | $123,950 | $92,930 | $148,570 | 70 |
| Lexington, KY | $123,370 | $97,280 | $123,370 | 100 |
| Hartford, CT | $122,860 | $100,450 | $162,540 | 100 |
| Bremerton, WA | $122,840 | $99,590 | $134,220 | 40 |
| Panama City, FL | $121,160 | $99,260 | $136,990 | 110 |
| Dayton, OH | $121,030 | $92,440 | $144,190 | 220 |
| Columbus, OH | $120,950 | $95,970 | $181,910 | 90 |
| Rochester, NY | $120,550 | $100,950 | $166,750 | 100 |
| Greenville, SC | $119,670 | $94,990 | $151,400 | 90 |
| Cleveland, OH | $119,450 | $94,060 | $151,690 | 110 |
| Akron, OH | $118,130 | $92,610 | $137,740 | 30 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $117,150 | $79,790 | $136,990 | 90 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $117,040 | $105,450 | $151,040 | 50 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $115,220 | $91,140 | $122,360 | 130 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $113,510 | $94,980 | $151,460 | 40 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $112,490 | $79,960 | $137,700 | 540 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $109,120 | $78,910 | $144,130 | 80 |
| Charlotte, NC-SC | $108,480 | $76,020 | $139,690 | 240 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $108,360 | $85,170 | $136,360 | 310 |
| New Haven, CT | $108,060 | $90,140 | $153,930 | 40 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $106,370 | $82,840 | $129,980 | 60 |
| Wichita, KS | $105,680 | $81,370 | $127,130 | 50 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $102,880 | $97,680 | $135,030 | 70 |
| Springfield, MO | $102,360 | $80,780 | $130,610 | -- |
| Atlanta, GA | $100,220 | $80,120 | $133,630 | 530 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $99,720 | $78,040 | $122,260 | 110 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $99,570 | $64,460 | $126,310 | 30 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $99,010 | $72,760 | $103,190 | 50 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $98,520 | $79,330 | $123,710 | 200 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $96,080 | $81,460 | $147,010 | 120 |
| Waterbury, CT | $93,590 | $85,490 | $143,740 | 30 |
| Tulsa, OK | $91,290 | $86,400 | $110,560 | 40 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $83,550 | $83,550 | $83,550 | 100 |
| Madison, WI | $82,200 | $82,200 | $103,640 | 120 |
| San Juan, PR | $81,830 | $79,200 | $102,880 | -- |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS. This data reflects occupational employment and wage estimates and may not capture total compensation including equity, bonuses, or benefits.