Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Cedar Rapids, IA make a median of $161,160 a year, or about $77.48 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $268K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $181,160 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $956/month, or 9.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $161K get you in Cedar Rapids?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About computer hardware engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Cedar Rapids
Computer hardware engineers pay in Cedar Rapids tracks closely to the national median, $161K locally vs. $162K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $956/month, 10.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer hardware engineers in metros near Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $102K | $116K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $134K | $129K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $134K | $128K |
| St. Louis | $112K | $118K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $161K. Top earners bring in $268K or more, a $197K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Hardware Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Computer Hardware Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $185K | +14% | 19,820 |
| Washington | $169K | +5% | 1,800 |
| Massachusetts | $168K | +4% | 3,150 |
| New Mexico | $165K | +2% | 5,260 |
| Texas | $164K | +1% | 7,390 |
| New York | $163K | +1% | 3,020 |
| District of Columbia | $163K | +1% | 210 |
| Hawaii | $160K | -1% | 90 |
| Arizona | $158K | -2% | 3,110 |
| Colorado | $156K | -3% | 2,660 |
| Maryland | $153K | -6% | 1,720 |
| New Jersey | $143K | -12% | 580 |
| Virginia | $139K | -14% | 1,720 |
| Alabama | $137K | -15% | 680 |
| Delaware | $136K | -16% | 30 |
| Nebraska | $135K | -17% | 80 |
| North Carolina | $135K | -17% | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $134K | -17% | 770 |
| Florida | $134K | -17% | 3,290 |
| Illinois | $133K | -18% | 1,420 |
| Idaho | $132K | -19% | 920 |
| Tennessee | $131K | -19% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $129K | -20% | 310 |
| Iowa | $125K | -23% | 130 |
| South Carolina | $125K | -23% | 690 |
| Arkansas | $120K | -26% | 160 |
| Michigan | $120K | -26% | 1,420 |
| Rhode Island | $120K | -26% | 390 |
| Ohio | $118K | -27% | 580 |
| Nevada | $117K | -28% | 160 |
| Kentucky | $116K | -28% | 500 |
| Utah | $107K | -34% | 430 |
| Missouri | $104K | -36% | 900 |
| Kansas | $102K | -37% | 220 |
| South Dakota | $101K | -37% | 160 |
| Georgia | $100K | -38% | 650 |
| Indiana | $98K | -39% | 320 |
| Oklahoma | $96K | -41% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $84K | -48% | 270 |
| Louisiana | $84K | -48% | 270 |
| Mississippi | $78K | -52% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track computer hardware engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cedar Rapids numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
Yes — at the median salary of $161K, rent takes 10.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,219/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Cedar Rapids?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $161K locally vs. $162K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Cedar Rapids pays $161K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $181K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $161,160 a year, that works out to about $77 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,320, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $267,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $161K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,345/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 10.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a computer hardware engineers salary go in Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median computer hardware engineers salary is worth about $181,160 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do computer hardware engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.