SOC 17-2061 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Computer Hardware Engineers — Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · 3 metro areas compared
In Denver, CO the median wage is $144,660.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow faster than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +7.3%
- Openings per year
- 4,700
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Denver, CO the median wage is $144,660. That is 10.6% lower than the national median of $161,740. Pay ranges from under $98,530 at the tenth percentile to more than $228,890 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $126,470 to $182,190.
Employment stands at 970, or 0.6 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Fort Collins records the highest median at $168,990. Of the 648 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 41st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $98,530 | −39.1% |
| 25th | $126,470 | −21.8% |
| Median (50th) | $144,660 | −10.6% |
| 75th | $182,190 | +12.6% |
| 90th | $228,890 | +41.5% |
| Mean | $157,600 | −2.6% |
Other metro areas in Colorado
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Collins | $168,990 | 490 | |
| 2 | Boulder | $161,720 | 650 | |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | $136,920 | 490 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Denver run 5.8% above the national average, so the median of $144,660 buys what $136,730 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 15.5% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$144,660as reported by BLSLocal price level
105.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$136,730US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $144,660 a year, 10.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $98,530 to $228,890 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 970 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Fort Collins, at $168,990.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Computer Hardware Engineers in Denver, CO?
The median annual wage is $144,660, or $69.55 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 Denver, CO is 10.6% lower. 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 Denver, CO earns more than $228,890 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $98,530 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 Fort Collins, at $168,990 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 970 jobs in this occupation in Denver, CO. 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.
Explore related data