Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Cleveland, OH make a median of $119,450 a year, or about $57.43 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $176K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $127,183 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,279/month, or 16.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $119K actually covers in Cleveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). 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 Cleveland
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Cleveland runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $162K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,279/month, 17.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Cleveland can be a reasonable trade-off for computer hardware engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer hardware engineers in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $121K | $131K |
| Columbus | $121K | $127K |
| Cincinnati | $109K | $114K |
| Akron | $118K | $127K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $119K. Top earners bring in $176K or more, a $99K 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 annually. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $119K, rent takes 17.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,046/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $119K here vs. $162K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Cleveland pays $119K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $127K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $119,450 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,150, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $175,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $119K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,471/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 17.1% 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 Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (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 $127,183 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.