Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Texas make a median of $163,860 a year, or about $78.78 an hour. The range runs from $93K at the entry level to $216K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $179,102 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 13.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $164K actually covers in Texas, month by month
About computer hardware engineers
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What this looks like in Texas
Computer hardware engineers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $164K locally vs. $162K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 13.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $93K. Mid-career wages sit at $164K. Top earners bring in $216K or more, a $123K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary by metro in Texas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $166K | +1% | 3,850 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $163K | -1% | 1,570 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $138K | -16% | 840 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $127K | -23% | 150 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a computer hardware engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $164K, rent takes 13.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $93K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,147/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $164K locally vs. $162K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Texas pays $164K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $179K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Texas?
The median is $163,860 a year, that works out to about $79 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $92,940, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $216,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $164K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $10,229/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 13.8% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median computer hardware engineers salary is worth about $179,102 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.