Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA make a median of $148,440 a year, or about $71.36 an hour. The range runs from $95K at the entry level to $222K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.8), so that salary is closer to $136,434 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,124/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $148K get you in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Maria-Santa Barbara’s Regional Price Parity (108.8). 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
Computer hardware engineers pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara tracks closely to the national median, $148K locally vs. $162K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,124/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.8), 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, 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, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $95K. Mid-career wages sit at $148K. Top earners bring in $222K or more, a $126K 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $148K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,124/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,600/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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $95K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,719/month. At HUD’s $3,124/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $148K locally vs. $162K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Santa Maria-Santa Barbara compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara pays $148K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA?
The median is $148,440 a year, that works out to about $71 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $95,320, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $221,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $148K enough to live in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,522/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,124/month, which eats 36.7% 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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara?
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara has a Regional Price Parity of 108.8 (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 $136,434 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.