Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA make a median of $209,860 a year, or about $100.89 an hour. The range runs from $142K at the entry level to $284K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.42), so that salary is closer to $190,056 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $3,483/month, or 28.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $210K get you in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara’s Regional Price Parity (110.42). 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara sits well above the national pay line for computer hardware engineers, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $162K. Rent runs $3,483/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.42), 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $174K | $156K |
| 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $142K. Mid-career wages sit at $210K. Top earners bring in $284K or more, a $143K 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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Yes — at the median salary of $210K, rent takes 29.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $142K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $8,495/month. At HUD’s $3,483/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 Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $210K here vs. $162K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays $210K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $190K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median is $209,860 a year, that works out to about $101 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $141,590, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $284,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $210K enough to live in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,712/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,483/month, which eats 29.7% 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara has a Regional Price Parity of 110.42 (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 $190,056 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.