Computer Hardware Engineers · SOC 17-2061
Computer Hardware Engineers Salary in the California
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025California
Figures describe the state of California as a whole.
Computer Hardware Engineers in the California earned a median of $185,180 per year ($89.03 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $126,590 at the 10th percentile to $281,210 at the 90th. BLS estimates 19,820 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Computer Hardware Engineers in the California earn more than $185,180 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $150,700 and $219,980.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $126,590 | $150,700 | $185,180 | $219,980 | $281,210 |
| Hourly | $60.86 | $72.45 | $89.03 | $105.76 | $135.20 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- California$185,180 median for California; middle half earns $150,700 to $219,980
- United Statesnational$161,740 median for United States; middle half earns $126,090 to $202,990
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is +14% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Metro areas in California
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for computer hardware engineers, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Californiathis page$185,180 median for California; middle half earns $150,700 to $219,980
- $209,860 median for San Jose metro area; middle half earns $171,200 to $230,510
- $203,890 median for San Francisco metro area; middle half earns $151,970 to $221,290
- $174,440 median for San Diego metro area; middle half earns $133,890 to $218,150
- $169,370 median for Santa Cruz metro area; middle half earns $107,120 to $214,600
- $158,530 median for Los Angeles metro area; middle half earns $131,130 to $198,360
- $148,440 median for Santa Maria metro area; middle half earns $121,180 to $174,240
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for computer hardware engineerss · Highest-paying occupations in California
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.