Best cities for a senior hardware engineer
The best cities for senior hardware engineers are San Jose, CA, Austin, TX, and Fremont, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for senior hardware engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for senior hardware engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a senior hardware engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for senior hardware engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for senior hardware engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a senior hardware engineer. While the absolute best city for senior hardware engineers is San Jose, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for senior hardware engineers in 2024.
If you're looking for a senior hardware engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for senior hardware engineers in 2026
1. San Jose, CA
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 74 Average annual salary: $143,512 Lowest 10 percent warn: $105,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location quotient: 31.29 2. Austin, TX
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 150 Average annual salary: $115,789 Lowest 10 percent warn: $87,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 15.07 3. Fremont, CA
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 35 Average annual salary: $143,778 Lowest 10 percent warn: $105,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location quotient: 11.69 4. San Francisco, CA
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 41 Average annual salary: $144,387 Lowest 10 percent warn: $106,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 2.75 5. Seattle, WA
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $179,186 Lowest 10 percent warn: $132,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $241,000 Location quotient: 0.95 6. Chandler, AZ
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 18 Average annual salary: $114,182 Lowest 10 percent warn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location quotient: 12.18 7. Raleigh, NC
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 236 Average annual salary: $108,138 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location quotient: 60.85 8. Portland, OR
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $129,391 Lowest 10 percent warn: $95,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $175,000 Location quotient: 0.79 9. Plano, TX
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $113,793 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $150,000 Location quotient: 1.84 10. Oakland, CA
Total senior hardware engineer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $144,167 Lowest 10 percent warn: $105,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $196,000 Location quotient: 0.70
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Best cities for senior hardware engineers
- San Jose, CA
- Austin, TX
- Fremont, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Chandler, AZ
- Raleigh, NC
- Portland, OR
- Plano, TX
- Oakland, CA
- (74 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (150 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (35 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (41 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (12 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (18 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (236 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (4 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (9 senior hardware engineer jobs)
- (1 senior hardware engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a senior hardware engineer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $143,512 | $105,000 | 1,025,350 | 74 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $115,789 | $87,000 | 947,890 | 150 |
| 3 | Fremont, CA | $143,778 | $105,000 | 233,136 | 35 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $144,387 | $106,000 | 870,887 | 41 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $179,186 | $132,000 | 704,352 | 12 |
| 6 | Chandler, AZ | $114,182 | $85,000 | 247,477 | 18 |
| 7 | Raleigh, NC | $108,138 | $82,000 | 458,880 | 236 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $129,391 | $95,000 | 639,863 | 4 |
| 9 | Plano, TX | $113,793 | $86,000 | 286,057 | 9 |
| 10 | Oakland, CA | $144,167 | $105,000 | 420,005 | 1 |
| 11 | Gilbert, AZ | $114,138 | $85,000 | 237,133 | 2 |
| 12 | Irving, TX | $114,121 | $86,000 | 238,289 | 6 |
| 13 | Scottsdale, AZ | $114,386 | $85,000 | 246,645 | 3 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $114,455 | $85,000 | 1,615,017 | 13 |
| 15 | Pittsburgh, PA | $107,093 | $82,000 | 303,625 | 11 |
| 16 | Milwaukee, WI | $106,047 | $82,000 | 595,047 | 10 |
| 17 | Sacramento, CA | $143,476 | $105,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 18 | Greensboro, NC | $107,521 | $82,000 | 287,027 | 2 |
| 19 | Houston, TX | $115,590 | $86,000 | 2,303,482 | 4 |
| 20 | Laredo, TX | $116,051 | $87,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 21 | Wichita, KS | $115,991 | $88,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 22 | Long Beach, CA | $129,300 | $96,000 | 470,130 | 6 |
| 23 | Anaheim, CA | $129,174 | $96,000 | 351,043 | 6 |
| 24 | San Antonio, TX | $116,011 | $87,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 25 | Albuquerque, NM | $118,501 | $89,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 26 | El Paso, TX | $117,365 | $88,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 27 | Corpus Christi, TX | $115,850 | $87,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 28 | San Diego, CA | $127,266 | $95,000 | 1,406,630 | 121 |
| 29 | Irvine, CA | $128,810 | $96,000 | 266,122 | 40 |
| 30 | Dallas, TX | $114,164 | $86,000 | 1,317,929 | 2 |
| 31 | Stockton, CA | $143,275 | $105,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 32 | Lubbock, TX | $115,143 | $86,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 33 | Fort Worth, TX | $114,346 | $86,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 34 | Arlington, TX | $114,324 | $86,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 35 | Garland, TX | $113,930 | $86,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 36 | Philadelphia, PA | $108,781 | $83,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 37 | Los Angeles, CA | $129,954 | $96,000 | 3,976,322 | 11 |
| 38 | Glendale, AZ | $114,490 | $85,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 39 | Cincinnati, OH | $97,388 | $74,000 | 298,800 | 4 |
| 40 | Fresno, CA | $140,567 | $103,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 41 | Mesa, AZ | $114,170 | $85,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 42 | Tucson, AZ | $113,264 | $85,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 43 | Colorado Springs, CO | $109,757 | $83,000 | 465,101 | 8 |
| 44 | Boston, MA | $119,898 | $93,000 | 673,184 | 4 |
| 45 | Durham, NC | $107,979 | $82,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 46 | Charlotte, NC | $107,130 | $82,000 | 842,051 | 2 |
| 47 | Detroit, MI | $97,261 | $75,000 | 672,795 | 3 |
| 48 | Winston-Salem, NC | $107,296 | $82,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 49 | Fort Wayne, IN | $95,464 | $73,000 | 264,488 | 1 |
| 50 | Oklahoma City, OK | $101,107 | $77,000 | 638,367 | 1 |
Highest paying cities for senior hardware engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. senior hardware engineer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $179,186 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $144,387 |
| 3 | Hillsboro, OR | $129,619 |
| 4 | Marlborough, MA | $119,770 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $115,789 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $114,455 |
| 7 | Arlington, VA | $113,089 |
| 8 | Boulder, CO | $109,677 |
| 9 | Germantown, MD | $109,593 |
| 10 | Bridgewater, NJ | $108,982 |
| 11 | Horsham, PA | $108,684 |
| 12 | Raleigh, NC | $108,138 |
| 13 | Huntsville, AL | $106,359 |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | $106,047 |
| 15 | Eden Prairie, MN | $101,289 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $98,062 |
| 17 | Southfield, MI | $97,219 |
Senior hardware engineer best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025