Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC make a median of $175,110 a year, or about $84.19 an hour. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $295K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $179,471 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 15.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $175K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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 Durham-Chapel Hill
Computer hardware engineers pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $175K locally vs. $162K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,711/month, 16.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) 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 Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $131K | $133K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $108K | $111K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $124K | $133K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $137K | $143K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $175K. Top earners bring in $295K or more, a $195K 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 Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $175K, rent takes 16.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,994/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $175K locally vs. $162K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $175K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $179K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $175,110 a year, that works out to about $84 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $99,900, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $294,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $175K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,213/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 16.8% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 $179,471 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.