Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Columbus, OH make a median of $120,950 a year, or about $58.15 an hour. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $217K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $126,689 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,430/month, or 19.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $121K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 Columbus
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Columbus runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $162K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,430/month, 18.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Columbus can be a reasonable trade-off for computer hardware engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer hardware engineers in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $121K | $131K |
| Cleveland | $119K | $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, Columbus, OH
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $217K or more, a $138K 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 Columbus numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 18.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,765/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Columbus?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $121K here vs. $162K nationally.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Columbus pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $127K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $120,950 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,410, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $217,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,552/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 18.9% 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 Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 $126,689 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.