Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Charlottesville, VA make a median of $113,510 a year, or about $54.57 an hour. The range runs from $87K at the entry level to $178K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.15), that's roughly $114,483 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,824/month, or 25.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $114K get you in Charlottesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlottesville’s Regional Price Parity (99.15). 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
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What this looks like in Charlottesville
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Charlottesville runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $162K. Rent runs $1,824/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.15) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer hardware engineers in metros near Charlottesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $132K | $134K |
| Richmond | $132K | $135K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $137K | $143K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $159K | $146K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlottesville, VA
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $87K. Mid-career wages sit at $114K. Top earners bring in $178K or more, a $91K 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 with published data
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 Charlottesville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charlottesville?
Yes — at the median salary of $114K, rent takes 26.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,824/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Charlottesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $87K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,233/month. At HUD’s $1,824/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Charlottesville?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $114K here vs. $162K nationally.
How does Charlottesville compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Charlottesville pays $114K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.15), the purchasing-power equivalent is $114K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Charlottesville, VA?
The median is $113,510 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $87,210, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $177,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $114K enough to live in Charlottesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,852/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,824/month, which eats 26.6% 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 Charlottesville?
Charlottesville has a Regional Price Parity of 99.15 (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 $114,483 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.