Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA make a median of $203,890 a year, or about $98.02 an hour. The range runs from $131K at the entry level to $285K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $176,360 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,604/month, about 30.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $204K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for computer hardware engineers, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $162K. Rent runs $3,604/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer hardware engineers in metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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 |
| 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $131K. Mid-career wages sit at $204K. Top earners bring in $285K or more, a $154K 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $204K, rent takes 31.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $3,400/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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $131K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,848/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $204K here vs. $162K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $204K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $176K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $203,890 a year, that works out to about $98 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $130,800, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $284,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $204K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,392/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 31.6% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (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 $176,360 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.