Computer Hardware Engineers Salary
Computer Hardware Engineers in Wisconsin make a median of $83,670 a year, or about $40.23 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $88,699 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $84K actually covers in Wisconsin, month by month
About computer hardware engineers
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for computer hardware engineers in Wisconsin runs about 48% below the U.S. median of $162K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 22.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Wisconsin can be a reasonable trade-off for computer hardware engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level computer hardware engineers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $104K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary by metro in Wisconsin
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $99K | +18% | 50 |
| Madison | $82K | -2% | 120 |
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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 Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 22.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer hardware engineers in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer hardware engineers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,490/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is computer hardware engineer a high-paying job in Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 48% below the national median — $84K here vs. $162K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for computer hardware engineers?
Wisconsin pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $162K — that’s -48%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do computer hardware engineers make in Wisconsin?
The median is $83,670 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,330, and experienced computer hardware engineers can clear $172,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,322/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 22.6% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $88,699 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.