Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA make a median of $127,730 a year, or about $61.41 an hour. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $177K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.53), so that salary is closer to $115,561 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,693/month, about 35.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $128K get you in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura’s Regional Price Parity (110.53). 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $162K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,693/month, which is 35.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.53), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for computer hardware engineerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer hardware engineers in metros near Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $210K | $190K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $174K | $156K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $204K | $176K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $159K | $140K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $128K. Top earners bring in $177K or more, a $91K 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $128K, rent takes 35.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,693/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,300/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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,182/month. At HUD’s $2,693/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $128K here vs. $162K nationally.
How does Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura pays $128K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA?
The median is $127,730 a year, that works out to about $61 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $86,370, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $177,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $128K enough to live in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,503/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,693/month, which eats 35.9% 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura?
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura has a Regional Price Parity of 110.53 (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 $115,561 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.