SOC 17-2061 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Computer Hardware Engineers — California
California · 9 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in California comes to $185,180 a year, ahead of the national median of $161,740 by 14.5%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in California comes to $185,180 a year, ahead of the national median of $161,740 by 14.5%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $150,700 and $219,980. The lowest tenth earn under $126,590, while the highest tenth earn more than $281,210.
Employment stands at 19,820, or 1.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 41 states with published data for this occupation, California ranks 1st by median wage. San Jose leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $209,860. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 25th of 793 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $126,590 | −21.7% |
| 25th | $150,700 | −6.8% |
| Median (50th) | $185,180 | +14.5% |
| 75th | $219,980 | +36.0% |
| 90th | $281,210 | +73.9% |
| Mean | $190,590 | +17.8% |
Highest-paying metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $209,860 | 7,940 | |
| 2 | San Francisco | $203,890 | 2,810 | |
| 3 | San Diego | $174,440 | 3,330 | |
| 4 | Santa Cruz | $169,370 | 80 | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | $158,530 | 1,870 | |
| 6 | Santa Maria | $148,440 | 60 | |
| 7 | Riverside | $134,060 | 200 | |
| 8 | Oxnard | $127,730 | 380 | |
| 9 | Bakersfield | $126,460 | 160 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in California run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $185,180 buys what $167,281 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 3.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$185,180as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$167,281US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $185,180 a year, 14.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $126,590 to $281,210 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 19,820 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 1st of 41 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is San Jose, at $209,860.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Computer Hardware Engineers in California?
The median annual wage is $185,180, or $89.03 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $161,740, so pay in California is 14.5% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in California earns more than $281,210 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $126,590 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in San Jose, at $209,860 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 19,820 jobs in this occupation in California. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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