Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ make a median of $160,300 a year, or about $77.07 an hour. The range runs from $101K at the entry level to $216K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $142,413 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,910/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $160K actually covers in New York-Newark-Jersey City, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in New York-Newark-Jersey City
Computer hardware engineers pay in New York-Newark-Jersey City tracks closely to the national median, $160K locally vs. $162K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $2,910/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 13% above the national average (BEA RPP 112.56), so groceries and services cost more too. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer hardware engineers in metros near New York-Newark-Jersey City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $130K | $136K |
| Rochester | $121K | $124K |
| Syracuse | $141K | $147K |
| Utica-Rome | $151K | $163K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $101K. Mid-career wages sit at $160K. Top earners bring in $216K or more, a $115K 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 annually. We'll email you when New York-Newark-Jersey City 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $160K, rent takes 31.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,910/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $101K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,203/month. At HUD’s $2,910/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $160K locally vs. $162K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does New York-Newark-Jersey City compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays $160K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 112.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $142K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $160,300 a year, that works out to about $77 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $101,010, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $216,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $160K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,312/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 31.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a computer hardware engineers salary go in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median computer hardware engineers salary is worth about $142,413 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.