Pay by state · 42 states
Computer Hardware Engineer Salary by State (2026)
Computer Hardware Engineers earn the most in California at $185,180 a year and the least in Mississippi at $78,320 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $161,740. All 42 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $185,180California
- National median
- $161,740BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $78,320Mississippi
- States reporting
- 42of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Computer Hardware Engineer salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of computer hardware engineers OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CACalifornia | $185,180 | $150,700 | $219,980 | 19,820 | $167,251 |
| 2 | WAWashington | $169,120 | $132,070 | $210,230 | 1,800 | $158,037 |
| 3 | MAMassachusetts | $167,600 | $132,610 | $210,910 | 3,150 | $158,477 |
| 4 | NMNew Mexico | $165,350 | $133,780 | $197,670 | 5,260 | $179,315 |
| 5 | TXTexas | $163,860 | $126,560 | $203,100 | 7,390 | $168,829 |
| 6 | NYNew York | $163,470 | $130,610 | $205,580 | 3,020 | $151,472 |
| 7 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $163,360 | $136,660 | $195,190 | 210 | $148,643 |
| 8 | HIHawaii | $159,880 | $106,470 | $165,240 | 90 | $145,410 |
| 9 | AZArizona | $158,280 | $106,870 | $168,610 | 3,110 | $157,216 |
| 10 | COColorado | $156,080 | $126,520 | $186,260 | 2,660 | $151,458 |
| 11 | MDMaryland | $152,730 | $115,860 | $184,880 | 1,720 | $145,514 |
| 12 | NJNew Jersey | $142,880 | $104,420 | $188,340 | 580 | $131,317 |
| 13 | VAVirginia | $139,030 | $105,820 | $175,140 | 1,720 | $137,512 |
| 14 | ALAlabama | $136,990 | $107,180 | $163,750 | 680 | $154,228 |
| 15 | DEDelaware | $135,690 | $113,240 | $170,160 | 30 | $135,951 |
| 16 | NENebraska | $134,950 | $124,840 | $157,620 | 80 | $149,773 |
| 17 | NCNorth Carolina | $134,670 | $95,360 | $178,360 | 1,340 | $142,771 |
| 18 | MNMinnesota | $134,300 | $106,870 | $158,450 | 770 | $136,178 |
| 19 | FLFlorida | $134,160 | $101,680 | $167,690 | 3,290 | $129,731 |
| 20 | ILIllinois | $133,220 | $97,930 | $165,360 | 1,420 | $133,276 |
| 21 | IDIdaho | $131,570 | $100,770 | $169,540 | 920 | $137,778 |
| 22 | TNTennessee | $130,830 | $110,000 | $163,960 | N/A | $142,408 |
| 23 | NHNew Hampshire | $129,140 | $99,740 | $174,140 | 310 | $123,976 |
| 24 | IAIowa | $125,120 | $106,680 | $161,740 | 130 | $142,567 |
| 25 | SCSouth Carolina | $125,110 | $102,540 | $139,930 | 690 | $133,452 |
| 26 | ARArkansas | $120,290 | $78,830 | $158,700 | 160 | $138,365 |
| 27 | MIMichigan | $119,670 | $99,700 | $164,110 | 1,420 | $124,375 |
| 28 | RIRhode Island | $119,510 | $96,750 | $144,910 | 390 | $116,846 |
| 29 | OHOhio | $118,160 | $92,610 | $151,690 | 580 | $127,363 |
| 30 | NVNevada | $116,530 | $91,150 | $126,790 | 160 | $116,554 |
| 31 | KYKentucky | $116,200 | $97,280 | $126,180 | 500 | $128,883 |
| 32 | UTUtah | $106,950 | $85,150 | $134,140 | 430 | $108,179 |
| 33 | MOMissouri | $103,980 | $79,190 | $130,490 | 900 | $114,494 |
| 34 | KSKansas | $101,750 | $84,720 | $133,050 | 220 | $112,970 |
| 35 | SDSouth Dakota | $101,400 | $83,340 | $131,210 | 160 | $114,465 |
| 36 | GAGeorgia | $100,210 | $80,120 | $133,630 | 650 | $104,068 |
| 37 | INIndiana | $98,350 | $92,250 | $116,850 | 320 | $105,380 |
| 38 | OKOklahoma | $95,600 | $82,020 | $130,790 | 180 | $108,831 |
| 39 | PRPuerto Rico | $85,660 | $78,580 | $110,910 | 370 | N/A |
| 40 | WIWisconsin | $83,670 | $77,700 | $103,640 | 270 | $88,921 |
| 41 | LALouisiana | $83,550 | $76,990 | $102,390 | 270 | $94,720 |
| 42 | MSMississippi | $78,320 | $75,210 | $107,950 | 150 | $90,072 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Computer Hardware Engineers, that changes the ranking: California leads on raw pay at $185,180, while New Mexico leads once prices are taken into account at $179,315.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Computer Hardware Engineer pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Computer Hardware Engineers the most?
California reports the highest median wage for Computer Hardware Engineers at $185,180 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Washington ($169,120) and Massachusetts ($167,600).
Which state pays Computer Hardware Engineers the least?
Mississippi reports the lowest median for Computer Hardware Engineers at $78,320 a year, $106,860 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Computer Hardware Engineers earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts New Mexico first at $179,315 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $165,350. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.