Pay by state · 54 states
Computer Systems Engineers/Architect Salary by State (2026)
Computer Systems Engineers/Architects earn the most in District of Columbia at $156,590 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $60,470 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $116,580. All 54 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $156,590District of Columbia
- National median
- $116,580BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $60,470Puerto Rico
- States reporting
- 54of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Computer Systems Engineers/Architect salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of computer systems engineers/architects OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $156,590 | $123,360 | $180,480 | 17,200 | $142,483 |
| 2 | MDMaryland | $144,680 | $114,920 | $165,730 | 19,060 | $137,844 |
| 3 | COColorado | $139,580 | $100,150 | $160,520 | 11,800 | $135,446 |
| 4 | VAVirginia | $139,030 | $108,160 | $165,320 | 17,000 | $137,512 |
| 5 | DEDelaware | $137,470 | $103,620 | $170,170 | 860 | $137,734 |
| 6 | CACalifornia | $134,440 | $87,350 | $179,730 | 80,150 | $121,423 |
| 7 | WAWashington | $128,940 | $84,540 | $168,030 | 14,360 | $120,490 |
| 8 | CTConnecticut | $127,720 | $88,980 | $150,440 | 3,100 | $123,270 |
| 9 | NMNew Mexico | $127,090 | $92,560 | $167,970 | 1,650 | $137,824 |
| 10 | HIHawaii | $120,100 | $99,630 | $135,680 | 2,080 | $109,230 |
| 11 | NYNew York | $116,990 | $83,790 | $162,510 | 11,460 | $108,403 |
| 12 | SCSouth Carolina | $112,260 | $80,120 | $136,990 | 4,300 | $119,745 |
| 13 | TXTexas | $111,530 | $78,100 | $152,110 | 57,020 | $114,912 |
| 14 | VTVermont | $111,530 | $72,640 | $168,580 | 1,320 | $113,855 |
| 15 | OHOhio | $109,780 | $76,360 | $134,560 | 6,150 | $118,331 |
| 16 | MAMassachusetts | $109,590 | $76,230 | $153,900 | 6,170 | $103,624 |
| 17 | NJNew Jersey | $108,310 | $72,370 | $167,020 | 12,010 | $99,545 |
| 18 | MEMaine | $107,990 | $84,400 | $139,180 | 900 | $111,273 |
| 19 | IAIowa | $107,340 | $77,020 | $134,850 | 3,850 | $122,308 |
| 20 | PAPennsylvania | $107,230 | $79,490 | $134,960 | 14,580 | $109,898 |
| 21 | WVWest Virginia | $107,140 | $66,850 | $149,730 | 3,380 | $119,714 |
| 22 | ALAlabama | $106,330 | $81,960 | $130,440 | 2,630 | $119,710 |
| 23 | AKAlaska | $105,960 | $71,300 | $125,740 | 710 | $103,518 |
| 24 | MIMichigan | $105,680 | $74,640 | $133,250 | 7,440 | $109,835 |
| 25 | FLFlorida | $105,370 | $72,240 | $141,060 | 13,710 | $101,891 |
| 26 | SDSouth Dakota | $105,370 | $86,940 | $126,650 | 240 | $118,947 |
| 27 | AZArizona | $105,240 | $74,650 | $136,990 | 5,510 | $104,532 |
| 28 | NCNorth Carolina | $104,850 | $71,970 | $140,920 | 15,090 | $111,157 |
| 29 | GAGeorgia | $104,610 | $79,630 | $138,180 | 20,630 | $108,637 |
| 30 | KSKansas | $103,380 | $79,500 | $129,770 | 1,340 | $114,780 |
| 31 | OKOklahoma | $102,520 | $81,970 | $125,240 | 3,320 | $116,708 |
| 32 | RIRhode Island | $102,210 | $75,360 | $129,130 | 830 | $99,932 |
| 33 | MOMissouri | $101,040 | $70,270 | $132,860 | 14,340 | $111,257 |
| 34 | NVNevada | $100,220 | $73,250 | $136,490 | 2,610 | $100,241 |
| 35 | ILIllinois | $99,360 | $65,040 | $133,070 | 11,160 | $99,402 |
| 36 | IDIdaho | $98,700 | $79,020 | $129,630 | 1,040 | $103,357 |
| 37 | UTUtah | $97,470 | $64,110 | $127,140 | 6,680 | $98,590 |
| 38 | OROregon | $97,350 | $80,260 | $130,270 | 2,450 | $94,184 |
| 39 | VIU.S. Virgin Islands | $96,180 | $83,400 | $128,670 | 40 | N/A |
| 40 | WYWyoming | $94,520 | $77,000 | $122,930 | 170 | $101,973 |
| 41 | INIndiana | $93,540 | $53,190 | $118,340 | 3,340 | $100,226 |
| 42 | NENebraska | $92,480 | $64,630 | $115,920 | 2,280 | $102,638 |
| 43 | MNMinnesota | $91,750 | $78,620 | $131,580 | 4,180 | $93,033 |
| 44 | NHNew Hampshire | $91,720 | $68,080 | $132,970 | 970 | $88,053 |
| 45 | KYKentucky | $89,420 | $60,170 | $115,210 | 1,850 | $99,180 |
| 46 | WIWisconsin | $88,130 | $68,300 | $109,480 | 4,680 | $93,661 |
| 47 | ARArkansas | $86,940 | $53,870 | $111,360 | 1,120 | $100,003 |
| 48 | MSMississippi | $86,940 | $61,580 | $112,920 | 1,450 | $99,985 |
| 49 | MTMontana | $81,970 | $63,300 | $103,380 | 540 | $86,608 |
| 50 | NDNorth Dakota | $78,330 | $55,740 | $101,450 | 730 | $88,052 |
| 51 | LALouisiana | $77,000 | $52,770 | $108,110 | 5,020 | $87,295 |
| 52 | GUGuam | $76,770 | $37,830 | $105,810 | 280 | N/A |
| 53 | TNTennessee | $76,470 | $58,030 | $100,890 | 10,930 | $83,237 |
| 54 | PRPuerto Rico | $60,470 | $28,300 | $95,950 | 880 | N/A |
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 Systems Engineers/Architects, that changes the ranking: District of Columbia leads on raw pay at $156,590, while District of Columbia leads once prices are taken into account at $142,483.
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 Systems Engineers/Architect pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Computer Systems Engineers/Architects the most?
District of Columbia reports the highest median wage for Computer Systems Engineers/Architects at $156,590 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Maryland ($144,680) and Colorado ($139,580).
Which state pays Computer Systems Engineers/Architects the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Computer Systems Engineers/Architects at $60,470 a year, $96,120 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Computer Systems Engineers/Architects earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts District of Columbia first at $142,483 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $156,590. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.