Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Iowa make a median of $125,120 a year, or about $60.15 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $188K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $140,806 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 14% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $125K actually covers in Iowa, month by month
About computer hardware engineers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Iowa runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $162K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 14.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Iowa can be a reasonable trade-off for computer hardware engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $125K. Top earners bring in $188K or more, a $111K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary by metro in Iowa
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $161K | +29% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track computer hardware engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Iowa 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 Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $125K, rent takes 14.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,909/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $125K here vs. $162K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Iowa pays $125K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $141K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Iowa?
The median is $125,120 a year, that works out to about $60 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,480, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $187,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $125K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,464/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 14.3% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $140,806 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.