National salary
What is the average computer hardware engineer salary?
The BLS reports a $161,740 national median for computer hardware engineers in May 2025. The mean is $162,670, but the median is the more useful midpoint because it is less sensitive to a smaller number of very high wages.
BLS estimates 76,660 jobs in this occupation. The 10th-to-90th-percentile spread is $92,940 to $225,330, a difference of $132,390. Employer, setting, specialty, location, and responsibility all sit inside that national range.
Percentiles describe where wages fall across the occupation. They do not assign a wage to a specific experience level.
What moves the number
What affects a computer hardware engineer salary?
Design depth
Processor, board, embedded, interface, verification, and manufacturing work require different technical expertise.
Industry
Semiconductor manufacturing, research, computer systems services, federal work, and equipment manufacturing use different pay structures.
Hardware-software range
Engineers who can diagnose across circuits, firmware, and system interfaces can take on broader integration responsibility.
Graduate study and leadership
Some employers prefer a master’s degree, while experienced engineers may advance into technical leadership or engineering management.
State comparison
Computer Hardware Engineer salary by state
The table pairs every state median below with its employment estimate. It is ordered by median salary, but the job count matters: a high figure based on a small occupational market describes a different opportunity than a similar figure supported by thousands of jobs.
The largest state employment estimates for computer hardware engineers are California (19,820 jobs), Texas (7,390 jobs), and New Mexico (5,260 jobs). Read those market sizes against the national estimate of 76,660 jobs before treating a state wage as a relocation signal.
| Rank | State | Median | 10th–90th percentile | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $185,180 | $126,590–$281,210 | 19,820 |
| 2 | Washington | $169,120 | $100,120–$260,210 | 1,800 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $167,600 | $118,490–$258,880 | 3,150 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $165,350 | $117,150–$204,150 | 5,260 |
| 5 | Texas | $163,860 | $92,940–$216,260 | 7,390 |
| 6 | New York | $163,470 | $101,530–$224,490 | 3,020 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $163,360 | $100,690–$211,950 | 210 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $159,880 | $94,270–$202,980 | 90 |
| 9 | Arizona | $158,280 | $100,900–$218,440 | 3,110 |
| 10 | Colorado | $156,080 | $100,050–$222,220 | 2,660 |
| 11 | Maryland | $152,730 | $87,840–$198,300 | 1,720 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $142,880 | $87,540–$210,900 | 580 |
| 13 | Virginia | $139,030 | $87,630–$195,290 | 1,720 |
| 14 | Alabama | $136,990 | $80,680–$195,190 | 680 |
| 15 | Delaware | $135,690 | $96,140–$200,240 | 30 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $134,950 | $96,910–$173,350 | 80 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $134,670 | $74,310–$234,390 | 1,340 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $134,300 | $84,770–$176,340 | 770 |
| 19 | Florida | $134,160 | $77,680–$203,510 | 3,290 |
| 20 | Illinois | $133,220 | $77,420–$210,100 | 1,420 |
| 21 | Idaho | $131,570 | $85,230–$212,880 | 920 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $129,140 | $75,740–$202,720 | 310 |
| 23 | Iowa | $125,120 | $77,480–$187,980 | 130 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $125,110 | $74,990–$171,540 | 690 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $120,290 | $70,870–$166,450 | 160 |
| 26 | Michigan | $119,670 | $78,240–$176,700 | 1,420 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $119,510 | $80,620–$158,570 | 390 |
| 28 | Ohio | $118,160 | $75,240–$196,680 | 580 |
| 29 | Nevada | $116,530 | $83,310–$155,020 | 160 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $116,200 | $71,400–$128,050 | 500 |
| 31 | Utah | $106,950 | $72,550–$168,320 | 430 |
| 32 | Missouri | $103,980 | $61,290–$150,050 | 900 |
| 33 | Kansas | $101,750 | $74,520–$145,800 | 220 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $101,400 | $78,040–$150,110 | 160 |
| 35 | Georgia | $100,210 | $70,920–$165,610 | 650 |
| 36 | Indiana | $98,350 | $73,780–$136,970 | 320 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $95,600 | $77,150–$171,560 | 180 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $83,670 | $68,330–$172,820 | 270 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $83,550 | $47,840–$150,290 | 270 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $78,320 | $68,770–$140,650 | 150 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment counts are estimates and may be rounded.
Degree context
How education connects to computer hardware engineer pay
Computer or electrical engineering is the standard route; a space systems or aerospace degree needs added circuit, digital systems, and programming depth.
Hardware engineering is not separate from software. BLS notes that hardware engineers often work with software developers because the components and the code that runs on them have to be developed together.
The wage percentiles do not separate workers by degree or experience. Use the education requirement to decide whether the route is open to you, then use the state and national wage distributions to understand the market rather than treating one percentile as a personal forecast.
Career guide See how to become a computer hardware engineer Adjacent route · Bachelor's degreeCommon questions
Computer Hardware Engineer salary FAQ
What is the median computer hardware engineer salary?
What is the national computer hardware engineer salary range?
How many computer hardware engineers does BLS count?
Does the 10th-percentile computer hardware engineer salary mean entry level?
What education do computer hardware engineers need?
Primary sources
Sources for computer hardware engineer salary data
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 for the national distribution, state wages, and employment estimates.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer Hardware Engineers for education, duties, and work-setting context.
Wage records and occupation facts reviewed August 28, 2026.