Best cities for a hardware engineer
The best cities for hardware engineers are Fremont, CA, San Jose, CA, and San Francisco, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for hardware engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for hardware engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a hardware engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for hardware engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for hardware engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a hardware engineer. While the absolute best city for hardware engineers is Fremont, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for hardware engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a hardware engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for hardware engineers in 2025
1. Fremont, CA
Total hardware engineer jobs: 105 Average annual salary: $134,931 Lowest 10 percent warn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location quotient: 20.34 2. San Jose, CA
Total hardware engineer jobs: 202 Average annual salary: $134,404 Lowest 10 percent warn: $96,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 53.36 3. San Francisco, CA
Total hardware engineer jobs: 100 Average annual salary: $135,753 Lowest 10 percent warn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000 Location quotient: 3.90 4. Austin, TX
Total hardware engineer jobs: 170 Average annual salary: $91,187 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location quotient: 24.83 5. Irvine, CA
Total hardware engineer jobs: 68 Average annual salary: $115,057 Lowest 10 percent warn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location quotient: 9.70 6. San Diego, CA
Total hardware engineer jobs: 44 Average annual salary: $112,622 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location quotient: 134.32 7. Chandler, AZ
Total hardware engineer jobs: 200 Average annual salary: $91,414 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $126,000 Location quotient: 78.54 8. Seattle, WA
Total hardware engineer jobs: 37 Average annual salary: $138,346 Lowest 10 percent warn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location quotient: 1.71 9. Oakland, CA
Total hardware engineer jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $135,544 Lowest 10 percent warn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000 Location quotient: 1.63 10. Albuquerque, NM
Total hardware engineer jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $98,587 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location quotient: 3.21
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Best cities for hardware engineers
- Fremont, CA
- San Jose, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Austin, TX
- Irvine, CA
- San Diego, CA
- Chandler, AZ
- Seattle, WA
- Oakland, CA
- Albuquerque, NM
- (105 hardware engineer jobs)
- (202 hardware engineer jobs)
- (100 hardware engineer jobs)
- (170 hardware engineer jobs)
- (68 hardware engineer jobs)
- (44 hardware engineer jobs)
- (200 hardware engineer jobs)
- (37 hardware engineer jobs)
- (4 hardware engineer jobs)
- (11 hardware engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a hardware engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fremont, CA | $134,931 | $97,000 | 233,136 | 105 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $134,404 | $96,000 | 1,025,350 | 202 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $135,753 | $97,000 | 870,887 | 100 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $91,187 | $66,000 | 947,890 | 170 |
| 5 | Irvine, CA | $115,057 | $83,000 | 266,122 | 68 |
| 6 | San Diego, CA | $112,622 | $82,000 | 1,406,630 | 44 |
| 7 | Chandler, AZ | $91,414 | $66,000 | 247,477 | 200 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $138,346 | $100,000 | 704,352 | 37 |
| 9 | Oakland, CA | $135,544 | $97,000 | 420,005 | 4 |
| 10 | Albuquerque, NM | $98,587 | $71,000 | 559,277 | 11 |
| 11 | Long Beach, CA | $115,854 | $84,000 | 470,130 | 5 |
| 12 | Scottsdale, AZ | $91,625 | $66,000 | 246,645 | 13 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | $87,175 | $64,000 | 303,625 | 49 |
| 14 | Santa Ana, CA | $115,364 | $83,000 | 334,217 | 4 |
| 15 | Chula Vista, CA | $112,307 | $81,000 | 267,172 | 2 |
| 16 | Houston, TX | $90,606 | $66,000 | 2,303,482 | 92 |
| 17 | Anaheim, CA | $115,719 | $83,000 | 351,043 | 2 |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | $81,933 | $61,000 | 458,880 | 72 |
| 19 | Los Angeles, CA | $117,178 | $84,000 | 3,976,322 | 27 |
| 20 | Tucson, AZ | $90,414 | $65,000 | 530,706 | 11 |
| 21 | Wichita, KS | $96,412 | $70,000 | 389,902 | 2 |
| 22 | Glendale, AZ | $91,764 | $66,000 | 245,895 | 1 |
| 23 | Sacramento, CA | $135,261 | $97,000 | 495,234 | 3 |
| 24 | Durham, NC | $81,857 | $61,000 | 263,016 | 15 |
| 25 | San Antonio, TX | $91,442 | $67,000 | 1,492,510 | 5 |
| 26 | Cleveland, OH | $75,162 | $55,000 | 385,809 | 21 |
| 27 | Mesa, AZ | $91,388 | $66,000 | 484,587 | 1 |
| 28 | Philadelphia, PA | $90,861 | $67,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 29 | Plano, TX | $87,993 | $64,000 | 286,057 | 12 |
| 30 | Milwaukee, WI | $80,949 | $60,000 | 595,047 | 8 |
| 31 | Dallas, TX | $88,605 | $65,000 | 1,317,929 | 17 |
| 32 | Stockton, CA | $134,894 | $96,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 33 | Phoenix, AZ | $91,720 | $66,000 | 1,615,017 | 11 |
| 34 | Saint Paul, MN | $82,697 | $61,000 | 302,398 | 20 |
| 35 | Madison, WI | $80,605 | $59,000 | 252,551 | 8 |
| 36 | Fresno, CA | $130,930 | $93,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 37 | Bakersfield, CA | $125,054 | $89,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 38 | Boston, MA | $102,133 | $75,000 | 673,184 | 12 |
| 39 | El Paso, TX | $94,352 | $68,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 40 | Laredo, TX | $91,212 | $67,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 41 | Lubbock, TX | $91,228 | $66,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 42 | Riverside, CA | $115,399 | $83,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 43 | Portland, OR | $93,757 | $68,000 | 639,863 | 8 |
| 44 | Colorado Springs, CO | $82,917 | $60,000 | 465,101 | 46 |
| 45 | Corpus Christi, TX | $90,896 | $66,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 46 | Irving, TX | $88,567 | $65,000 | 238,289 | 7 |
| 47 | Greensboro, NC | $81,369 | $60,000 | 287,027 | 2 |
| 48 | Chicago, IL | $84,190 | $62,000 | 2,704,958 | 76 |
| 49 | Gilbert, AZ | $91,359 | $66,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 50 | Fort Worth, TX | $89,072 | $65,000 | 854,113 | 1 |
Highest paying cities for hardware engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. hardware engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $138,346 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $135,753 |
| 3 | Marlborough, MA | $102,019 |
| 4 | Corvallis, OR | $95,580 |
| 5 | Tempe, AZ | $91,513 |
| 6 | Germantown, MD | $91,314 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $91,187 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $91,063 |
| 9 | Allentown, PA | $90,907 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $84,190 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs, CO | $82,917 |
| 12 | Plymouth, MN | $82,693 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $81,933 |
| 14 | Columbus, IN | $74,088 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $73,622 |
| 16 | Troy, MI | $71,236 |
Hardware engineer best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025