Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA make a median of $174,440 a year, or about $83.87 an hour. The range runs from $123K at the entry level to $228K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $155,903 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $3,001/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $174K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Computer hardware engineers pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad tracks closely to the national median, $174K locally vs. $162K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $3,001/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $210K | $190K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $204K | $176K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $159K | $140K |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $128K | $116K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $123K. Mid-career wages sit at $174K. Top earners bring in $228K or more, a $105K 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $174K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,900/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $123K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,375/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $174K locally vs. $162K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $174K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $156K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $174,440 a year, that works out to about $84 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $122,910, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $227,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $174K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,802/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 30.6% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 $155,903 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.