Best cities for a hardware development engineer
The best cities for hardware development engineers are Seattle, WA, Fremont, CA, and San Jose, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for hardware development engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for hardware development engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a hardware development engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for hardware development engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for hardware development engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a hardware development engineer. While the absolute best city for hardware development engineers is Seattle, WA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for hardware development engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a hardware development engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for hardware development engineers in 2025
1. Seattle, WA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $140,849 Lowest 10 percent warn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $192,000 Location quotient: 166.76 2. Fremont, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 35 Average annual salary: $142,149 Lowest 10 percent warn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 94.62 3. San Jose, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 182 Average annual salary: $141,806 Lowest 10 percent warn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 139.69 4. Santa Ana, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $128,063 Lowest 10 percent warn: $92,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000 Location quotient: 141.64 5. San Francisco, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $142,789 Lowest 10 percent warn: $103,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $197,000 Location quotient: 7.61 6. Irvine, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 43 Average annual salary: $127,757 Lowest 10 percent warn: $91,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $177,000 Location quotient: 85.59 7. Oakland, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $142,607 Lowest 10 percent warn: $103,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Sacramento, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $142,549 Lowest 10 percent warn: $103,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $197,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Stockton, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $142,011 Lowest 10 percent warn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. San Diego, CA
Total hardware development engineer jobs: 32 Average annual salary: $124,988 Lowest 10 percent warn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $173,000 Location quotient: 28.67
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Best cities for hardware development engineers
- Seattle, WA
- Fremont, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Irvine, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Stockton, CA
- San Diego, CA
- (3 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (35 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (182 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (13 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (14 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (43 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (0 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (0 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (0 hardware development engineer jobs)
- (32 hardware development engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a hardware development engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $140,849 | $102,000 | 704,352 | 3 |
| 2 | Fremont, CA | $142,149 | $102,000 | 233,136 | 35 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $141,806 | $102,000 | 1,025,350 | 182 |
| 4 | Santa Ana, CA | $128,063 | $92,000 | 334,217 | 13 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $142,789 | $103,000 | 870,887 | 14 |
| 6 | Irvine, CA | $127,757 | $91,000 | 266,122 | 43 |
| 7 | Oakland, CA | $142,607 | $103,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $142,549 | $103,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 9 | Stockton, CA | $142,011 | $102,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 10 | San Diego, CA | $124,988 | $90,000 | 1,406,630 | 32 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $96,294 | $68,000 | 947,890 | 45 |
| 12 | Fresno, CA | $139,185 | $100,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 13 | Wichita, KS | $108,147 | $78,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 14 | Los Angeles, CA | $129,721 | $93,000 | 3,976,322 | 5 |
| 15 | Long Beach, CA | $128,556 | $92,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 16 | Albuquerque, NM | $111,192 | $79,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 17 | Bakersfield, CA | $135,470 | $97,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 18 | Anaheim, CA | $128,398 | $92,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 19 | El Paso, TX | $101,371 | $72,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 20 | Tucson, AZ | $98,523 | $70,000 | 530,706 | 2 |
| 21 | Riverside, CA | $128,031 | $92,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 22 | Glendale, AZ | $100,948 | $72,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 23 | Phoenix, AZ | $100,895 | $72,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 24 | Lubbock, TX | $98,401 | $70,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 25 | Scottsdale, AZ | $100,794 | $72,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 26 | Anchorage, AK | $109,121 | $84,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 27 | Boston, MA | $107,128 | $78,000 | 673,184 | 13 |
| 28 | Chandler, AZ | $100,430 | $72,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 29 | Chula Vista, CA | $124,544 | $89,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 30 | Mesa, AZ | $100,411 | $72,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 31 | Gilbert, AZ | $100,352 | $72,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 32 | San Antonio, TX | $96,171 | $68,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 33 | Oklahoma City, OK | $93,502 | $67,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 34 | Fort Worth, TX | $95,495 | $68,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 35 | Arlington, TX | $95,391 | $68,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 36 | Virginia Beach, VA | $103,797 | $75,000 | 452,602 | 3 |
| 37 | Houston, TX | $95,354 | $68,000 | 2,303,482 | - |
| 38 | Irving, TX | $95,138 | $68,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 39 | Tulsa, OK | $92,752 | $67,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 40 | Dallas, TX | $95,129 | $68,000 | 1,317,929 | - |
| 41 | Garland, TX | $94,846 | $68,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 42 | Laredo, TX | $95,223 | $67,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 43 | Philadelphia, PA | $91,432 | $66,000 | 1,567,872 | 3 |
| 44 | Plano, TX | $94,745 | $68,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 45 | Corpus Christi, TX | $94,824 | $67,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 46 | Chicago, IL | $96,046 | $70,000 | 2,704,958 | - |
| 47 | New Orleans, LA | $92,641 | $66,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 48 | Norfolk, VA | $103,654 | $75,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 49 | Chesapeake, VA | $103,520 | $75,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 50 | Pittsburgh, PA | $88,913 | $64,000 | 303,625 | - |
Highest paying cities for hardware development engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. hardware development engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $142,789 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $140,849 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $107,128 |
| 4 | Sterling, VA | $104,619 |
| 5 | Hillsborough, NJ | $100,231 |
| 6 | Beaverton, OR | $98,336 |
| 7 | Boulder, CO | $96,753 |
| 8 | Poughkeepsie, NY | $96,658 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $96,294 |
| 10 | Allentown, PA | $91,581 |
| 11 | Morrisville, NC | $87,309 |
| 12 | Eden Prairie, MN | $86,977 |
| 13 | Orlando, FL | $81,457 |
| 14 | Redford, MI | $72,884 |
Hardware development engineer best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025