Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Indiana make a median of $98,350 a year, or about $47.28 an hour. The range runs from $74K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $107,123 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 18% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $98K actually covers in Indiana, month by month
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Indiana runs about 39% below the U.S. median of $162K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Indiana can be a reasonable trade-off for computer hardware engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $74K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $63K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary by metro in Indiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $103K | +5% | 70 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $74K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,837/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Indiana?
Local pay runs 39% below the national median — $98K here vs. $162K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Indiana pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Indiana?
The median is $98,350 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,780, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $136,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,215/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $107,123 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.