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Computer hardware designer salary
Average computer hardware designer salary
$134,713
Understanding Computer Hardware Designer Salaries
In the field of technology, Computer Hardware Designers play a pivotal role, with an average salary of $134,713 per year as of October 2025. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as experience, location, and industry specialization. For instance, designers in states like California and Washington often see higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for technical expertise.
Experience levels also influence earnings; entry-level positions typically start around $80,000, while seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $150,000. Additionally, roles focusing on advanced technologies, such as AI and IoT, tend to command higher compensation.
Salary by State
Analyzing the salary landscape reveals that states such as California, Texas, and New York offer some of the highest compensation packages for computer hardware designers. For example, California averages around $150,000, reflecting both demand and living costs. These insights allow job seekers to target opportunities that align with their salary expectations.
Career Opportunities
With the ongoing advancement of technology, the demand for skilled computer hardware designers continues to grow. Job seekers should consider pursuing certifications and advanced degrees to enhance their qualifications and increase their earning potential.
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Where can a Computer Hardware Designer earn more?
Computer hardware designer salaries by experience level
Computer hardware designer salary estimates from across the web
Average computer hardware designer salary by state
The average computer hardware designer salary in Washington, California, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average computer hardware designer salary states are Nevada, Michigan, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for computer hardware designers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $160,122 | $76.98 |
| 2 | California | $145,671 | $70.03 |
| 3 | Maine | $136,813 | $65.78 |
| 4 | Colorado | $128,167 | $61.62 |
| 5 | New Mexico | $128,559 | $61.81 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $127,482 | $61.29 |
| 7 | Vermont | $126,327 | $60.73 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $127,784 | $61.43 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $127,918 | $61.50 |
| 10 | Arizona | $123,949 | $59.59 |
| 11 | Kansas | $131,060 | $63.01 |
| 12 | Illinois | $128,136 | $61.60 |
| 13 | Virginia | $123,516 | $59.38 |
| 14 | Utah | $117,145 | $56.32 |
| 15 | Oregon | $120,672 | $58.02 |
| 16 | Idaho | $123,449 | $59.35 |
| 17 | Alaska | $120,795 | $58.07 |
| 18 | Texas | $117,511 | $56.50 |
| 19 | Montana | $119,430 | $57.42 |
| 20 | Maryland | $118,668 | $57.05 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $118,796 | $57.11 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $119,558 | $57.48 |
| 23 | New York | $116,505 | $56.01 |
| 24 | Alabama | $110,426 | $53.09 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $112,358 | $54.02 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $109,470 | $52.63 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $110,841 | $53.29 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $109,772 | $52.77 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $108,067 | $51.96 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $106,194 | $51.05 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $111,297 | $53.51 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $117,737 | $56.60 |
| 33 | Delaware | $110,490 | $53.12 |
| 34 | Georgia | $104,465 | $50.22 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $106,084 | $51.00 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $103,532 | $49.77 |
| 37 | Missouri | $108,803 | $52.31 |
| 38 | Iowa | $106,192 | $51.05 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $96,602 | $46.44 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $102,525 | $49.29 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $99,891 | $48.02 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $103,701 | $49.86 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $105,969 | $50.95 |
| 44 | Michigan | $91,624 | $44.05 |
| 45 | Ohio | $95,917 | $46.11 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $99,709 | $47.94 |
| 47 | Florida | $87,817 | $42.22 |
| 48 | Nevada | $92,766 | $44.60 |
| 49 | Indiana | $90,265 | $43.40 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $85,587 | $41.15 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $76,519 | $36.79 |
Highest paying cities for computer hardware designers
The highest-paying cities for computer hardware designers are San Francisco, CA, Sunnyvale, CA, and Cupertino, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $152,654 | $73.39 |
| 2 | Sunnyvale, CA | $152,230 | $73.19 |
| 3 | Cupertino, CA | $152,195 | $73.17 |
| 4 | Pasadena, CA | $144,408 | $69.43 |
| 5 | Albuquerque, NM | $129,359 | $62.19 |
| 6 | Rolling Meadows, IL | $128,498 | $61.78 |
| 7 | Mansfield, MA | $127,859 | $61.47 |
| 8 | Shelburne, VT | $126,340 | $60.74 |
| 9 | Tucson, AZ | $121,565 | $58.44 |
| 10 | Irving, TX | $118,994 | $57.21 |
| 11 | Moorestown, NJ | $118,084 | $56.77 |
| 12 | Holmdel, NJ | $117,856 | $56.66 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $116,605 | $56.06 |
| 14 | Rochester, NY | $116,551 | $56.03 |
| 15 | Auburn Hills, MI | $91,810 | $44.14 |
| 16 | Flint, MI | $91,766 | $44.12 |
| 17 | Melbourne, FL | $89,090 | $42.83 |
Computer hardware designer salary details
A computer hardware designer's salary ranges from $95,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $189,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a computer hardware designer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $189,000 | $15,750 | $91 |
| 75th Percentile | $161,000 | $13,417 | $77 |
| Average | $134,713 | $11,226 | $65 |
| 25th Percentile | $112,000 | $9,333 | $54 |
| 10th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
Highest paying computer hardware designer jobs
The highest paying types of computer hardware designers are manager, hardware engineering, hardware manager, and principal hardware engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design Verification Engineer | $117,277 | $9,773 | $56.38 | 65,429 |
| Verification Engineer | $104,158 | $8,680 | $50.08 | 38,261 |
| Hardware Engineering Internship | $63,154 | $5,263 | $30.36 | 100,276 |
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
| Hardware Development Engineer | $119,370 | $9,948 | $57.39 | 100,593 |
| Manager, Hardware Engineering | $148,792 | $12,399 | $71.53 | 63,636 |
Top companies hiring computer hardware designers now:
Which companies pay computer hardware designers the most?
Computer hardware designer salaries at Apple and Symbolic IO Corporation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average computer hardware designer salary at companies like Venteon and Ace Hardware are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $156,898 | $75.43 |
| 2 | Symbolic IO Corporation | $146,504 | $70.43 |
| 3 | Venteon | $144,133 | $69.29 |
| 4 | Ace Hardware | $143,299 | $68.89 |
| 5 | System One | $136,569 | $65.66 |
| 6 | NANA | $135,949 | $65.36 |
| 7 | Amazon | $129,099 | $62.07 |
| 8 | Dahl Consulting | $125,392 | $60.28 |
| 9 | Tory Burch | $124,973 | $60.08 |
| 10 | IBM | $118,352 | $56.90 |
| 11 | Sandia National Labs | $117,079 | $56.29 |
| 12 | Magneti Marelli | $109,808 | $52.79 |
| 13 | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | $109,799 | $52.79 |
| 14 | Magna International | $102,461 | $49.26 |
| 15 | Alstom | $88,084 | $42.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Computer hardware designer salary trends
The average computer hardware designer salary has risen by $23,605 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average computer hardware designer earned $111,108 annually, but today, they earn $134,713 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for computer hardware designers over the last decade.
Compare computer hardware designer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average computer hardware designer salary over time
Compare computer hardware designer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Computer hardware designer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $135,000 | $64.77 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $132,000 | $63.50 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $129,000 | $62.08 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | $130,000 | $62.36 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | $130,000 | $62.34 | +2.9% |
Recently added computer hardware designer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actalent | Hardware Designer | Wixom, MI | 06/25/2025 | $83,480 |
| Andurilindustries | Hardware Designer | Lexington, MA | 02/22/2025 | $120,000 |
| Anduril Industries | Hardware Designer | Lexington, MA | 02/19/2025 | $120,000 |
| Framatome | I&C Hardware Designer | Lynchburg, VA | 01/18/2025 | $70,958 |
| 24 Seven Talent | CMF Designer, Hardware | Ione, CA | 12/12/2024 | $93,915 |
| Dynetics | Hardware Design (Engineer 3) | Alabama | 11/19/2024 | $81,250 |
| Falconsmartit | Hardware/Physical Designer | Seattle, WA | 09/12/2024 | $160,000 |
| Akkodis | Battery Hardware Design & Release | Bowne, MI | 02/18/2024 | $62,610 |
| Akkodis | Battery Hardware Design & Release | Auburn Hills, MI | 11/22/2023 | $62,610 |
| Ace Hardware | ACE Hardware-NOW | Sunnyvale, CA | 10/13/2023 | $37,566 |
Computer hardware designer salary FAQs
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