Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Kentucky make a median of $116,200 a year, or about $55.86 an hour. The range runs from $71K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $128,782 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 15.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $116K actually covers in Kentucky, month by month
About computer hardware engineers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Kentucky runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $162K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 15.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for computer hardware engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $71K. Mid-career wages sit at $116K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $57K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary by metro in Kentucky
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $126K | +9% | 160 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $123K | +6% | 100 |
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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 Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $116K, rent takes 15.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $71K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,647/month. At HUD’s $1,110/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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $116K here vs. $162K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Kentucky pays $116K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $129K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Kentucky?
The median is $116,200 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $71,400, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $128,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $116K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,124/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 15.6% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $128,782 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.