Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Computer hardware engineers (SOC 17-2061) employed 76,660 people in May 2025. The median pay is $161,740 a year ($77.76 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $92,940 and the highest-paid 10% more than $225,330. BLS projects its employment to change by +9.1% between 2025 and 2035 (about 4,100 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: Bachelor's degree.
Highest median pay: California ($185,180), Washington ($169,120), Massachusetts ($167,600). Most jobs: California (19,820), Texas (7,390), New Mexico (5,260).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $92,940 | $44.68 |
| 25th percentile | $126,090 | $60.62 |
| Median | $161,740 | $77.76 |
| Mean | $162,670 | $78.21 |
| 75th percentile | $202,990 | $97.59 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $225,330 | $108.33 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 76,100 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 83,000 |
| Change in jobs | 6,900 |
| Percent change | +9.1% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 4,100 |
| Self-employed share | n/a |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 680 | 0.66 | $136,990 | $80,680 | $195,190 | -15% | 9% |
| Arizona | 3,110 | 1.94 | $158,280 | $100,900 | $218,440 | -2% | 13% |
| Arkansas | 160 | 0.25 | $120,290 | $70,870 | $166,450 | -26% | 10% |
| California | 19,820 | 2.21 | $185,180 | $126,590 | $281,210 | +14% | 14% |
| Colorado | 2,660 | 1.87 | $156,080 | $100,050 | $222,220 | -3% | 14% |
| Connecticut | 340 | 0.41 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Delaware | 30 | 0.13 | $135,690 | $96,140 | $200,240 | -16% | 14% |
| District of Columbia | 210 | 0.62 | $163,360 | $100,690 | $211,950 | +1% | 14% |
| Florida | 3,290 | 0.67 | $134,160 | $77,680 | $203,510 | -17% | 16% |
| Georgia | 650 | 0.27 | $100,210 | $70,920 | $165,610 | -38% | 18% |
| Hawaii | 90 | 0.28 | $159,880 | $94,270 | $202,980 | -1% | 15% |
| Idaho | 920 | 2.18 | $131,570 | $85,230 | $212,880 | -19% | 13% |
| Illinois | 1,420 | 0.47 | $133,220 | $77,420 | $210,100 | -18% | 12% |
| Indiana | 320 | 0.20 | $98,350 | $73,780 | $136,970 | -39% | 13% |
| Iowa | 130 | 0.18 | $125,120 | $77,480 | $187,980 | -23% | 9% |
| Kansas | 220 | 0.32 | $101,750 | $74,520 | $145,800 | -37% | 13% |
| Kentucky | 500 | 0.50 | $116,200 | $71,400 | $128,050 | -28% | 10% |
| Louisiana | 270 | 0.28 | $83,550 | $47,840 | $150,290 | -48% | 15% |
| Maryland | 1,720 | 1.27 | $152,730 | $87,840 | $198,300 | -6% | 14% |
| Massachusetts | 3,150 | 1.76 | $167,600 | $118,490 | $258,880 | +4% | 13% |
| Michigan | 1,420 | 0.66 | $119,670 | $78,240 | $176,700 | -26% | 12% |
| Minnesota | 770 | 0.53 | $134,300 | $84,770 | $176,340 | -17% | 12% |
| Mississippi | 150 | 0.26 | $78,320 | $68,770 | $140,650 | -52% | 15% |
| Missouri | 900 | 0.62 | $103,980 | $61,290 | $150,050 | -36% | 12% |
| Nebraska | 80 | 0.16 | $134,950 | $96,910 | $173,350 | -17% | 10% |
| Nevada | 160 | 0.22 | $116,530 | $83,310 | $155,020 | -28% | 18% |
| New Hampshire | 310 | 0.92 | $129,140 | $75,740 | $202,720 | -20% | 14% |
| New Jersey | 580 | 0.27 | $142,880 | $87,540 | $210,900 | -12% | 15% |
| New Mexico | 5,260 | 12.25 | $165,350 | $117,150 | $204,150 | +2% | 8% |
| New York | 3,020 | 0.63 | $163,470 | $101,530 | $224,490 | +1% | 12% |
| North Carolina | 1,340 | 0.55 | $134,670 | $74,310 | $234,390 | -17% | 12% |
| Ohio | 580 | 0.21 | $118,160 | $75,240 | $196,680 | -27% | 11% |
| Oklahoma | 180 | 0.21 | $95,600 | $77,150 | $171,560 | -41% | 13% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,610 | 0.54 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Rhode Island | 390 | 1.58 | $119,510 | $80,620 | $158,570 | -26% | 14% |
| South Carolina | 690 | 0.61 | $125,110 | $74,990 | $171,540 | -23% | 12% |
| South Dakota | 160 | 0.73 | $101,400 | $78,040 | $150,110 | -37% | 12% |
| Texas | 7,390 | 1.06 | $163,860 | $92,940 | $216,260 | +1% | 11% |
| Utah | 430 | 0.50 | $106,950 | $72,550 | $168,320 | -34% | 18% |
| Vermont | 130 | 0.86 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Virginia | 1,720 | 0.85 | $139,030 | $87,630 | $195,290 | -14% | 14% |
| Washington | 1,800 | 1.03 | $169,120 | $100,120 | $260,210 | +5% | 13% |
| West Virginia | 140 | 0.42 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Wisconsin | 270 | 0.19 | $83,670 | $68,330 | $172,820 | -48% | 16% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 7,940 | $209,860 | $141,590 | $284,400 | 14.19 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,810 | $203,890 | $130,800 | $284,580 | 2.40 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 430 | $175,110 | $99,900 | $294,880 | 2.56 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,330 | $174,440 | $122,910 | $227,940 | 4.39 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,410 | $169,120 | $104,770 | $260,210 | 1.37 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 490 | $168,990 | $107,940 | $223,570 | 5.87 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,840 | $167,600 | $110,730 | $260,460 | 2.13 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,820 | $167,010 | $103,450 | $218,440 | 2.41 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 3,850 | $165,530 | $103,080 | $254,180 | 6.03 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,570 | $162,870 | $86,190 | $213,740 | 0.78 |
| Boulder, CO | 650 | $161,720 | $100,390 | $216,650 | 6.80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,780 | $160,300 | $101,010 | $216,050 | 0.38 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,790 | $159,480 | $95,780 | $221,090 | 1.16 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,870 | $158,530 | $105,390 | $222,470 | 0.60 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 740 | $156,750 | $81,200 | $204,360 | 1.11 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 500 | $150,530 | $101,600 | $213,140 | 4.12 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 970 | $144,660 | $98,530 | $228,890 | 1.22 |
| Huntsville, AL | 560 | $142,670 | $83,820 | $195,190 | 4.27 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 840 | $137,740 | $82,200 | $195,190 | 0.52 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 490 | $136,920 | $93,440 | $207,670 | 3.15 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 650 | $136,300 | $92,550 | $203,500 | 0.94 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 460 | $135,220 | $80,160 | $202,080 | 0.33 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 550 | $134,300 | $96,270 | $182,020 | 0.57 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,080 | $133,860 | $76,450 | $210,100 | 0.49 |
| Boise City, ID | 830 | $131,570 | $91,210 | $212,880 | 4.30 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 310 | $130,540 | $75,520 | $205,760 | 0.85 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,060 | $129,990 | $86,520 | $178,280 | 1.13 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 380 | $127,730 | $86,370 | $177,430 | 2.40 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 580 | $125,680 | $61,040 | $205,990 | 0.81 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 460 | $125,060 | $86,530 | $172,750 | 1.31 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 540 | $112,490 | $61,290 | $150,100 | 0.82 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 310 | $108,360 | $68,720 | $148,980 | 0.58 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 530 | $100,220 | $75,320 | $165,610 | 0.37 |
The median is $161,740 a year ($77.76 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $92,940 and the highest-paid tenth over $225,330 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
76,660 in May 2025, and BLS projects +9.1% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: Bachelor's degree (BLS).
California, with a median of $185,180 (among states with published figures).