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Best states for a system hardware engineer
Quoted expert
Jared Wilson
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 41 - 51
System hardware engineer opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for system hardware engineers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for system hardware engineers.In order to help you decide which state is the best for system hardware engineers, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia from best to worst for system hardware engineer jobs.
The median salary for system hardware engineers in Washington is $141,507. Compare that to the median salary in Kentucky of $62,467, which ranked worst for system hardware engineers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the Midwest is best for system hardware engineers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for system hardware engineer jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.
10 best states for system hardware engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 1,202 Average annual salary: $141,507 Lowest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $198,000 Location Quotient: 1.522. California
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 5,940 Average annual salary: $130,968 Lowest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location Quotient: 1.883. Vermont
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 66 Average annual salary: $110,177 Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 0.84. New Mexico
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 175 Average annual salary: $107,323 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location Quotient: 0.835. Arizona
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 771 Average annual salary: $105,755 Lowest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 1.226. Oregon
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 509 Average annual salary: $107,131 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $151,000 Location Quotient: 1.147. Connecticut
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 247 Average annual salary: $110,970 Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000 Location Quotient: 0.698. Massachusetts
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 1,299 Average annual salary: $105,553 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location Quotient: 1.319. Texas
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 2,184 Average annual salary: $104,140 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $150,000 Location Quotient: 110. Virginia
Total system hardware engineer jobs: 2,369 Average annual salary: $104,252 Lowest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location Quotient: 2.32
System hardware engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a system hardware engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a system hardware engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $141,507 | $100,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,202 |
| 2 | California | $130,968 | $90,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,940 |
| 3 | Vermont | $110,177 | $79,000 | 623,657 | 66 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $107,323 | $73,000 | 2,088,070 | 175 |
| 5 | Arizona | $105,755 | $72,000 | 7,016,270 | 771 |
| 6 | Oregon | $107,131 | $75,000 | 4,142,776 | 509 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $110,970 | $78,000 | 3,588,184 | 247 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $105,553 | $75,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,299 |
| 9 | Texas | $104,140 | $71,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,184 |
| 10 | Virginia | $104,252 | $73,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,369 |
| 11 | Maine | $119,822 | $86,000 | 1,335,907 | 56 |
| 12 | Utah | $97,948 | $67,000 | 3,101,833 | 464 |
| 13 | Idaho | $105,295 | $73,000 | 1,716,943 | 101 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $106,385 | $77,000 | 755,393 | 50 |
| 15 | Alaska | $106,010 | $79,000 | 739,795 | 58 |
| 16 | New York | $104,478 | $73,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,023 |
| 17 | Kansas | $102,721 | $72,000 | 2,913,123 | 176 |
| 18 | Maryland | $100,413 | $70,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,685 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $99,672 | $70,000 | 1,815,857 | 80 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $95,538 | $67,000 | 1,059,639 | 104 |
| 21 | Alabama | $91,025 | $64,000 | 4,874,747 | 553 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $101,149 | $71,000 | 9,005,644 | 566 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $92,939 | $66,000 | 1,342,795 | 172 |
| 24 | Delaware | $93,819 | $66,000 | 961,939 | 124 |
| 25 | Colorado | $92,990 | $65,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,152 |
| 26 | Montana | $99,553 | $70,000 | 1,050,493 | 59 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $95,912 | $67,000 | 3,004,279 | 118 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $92,741 | $65,000 | 693,972 | 465 |
| 29 | Illinois | $93,353 | $66,000 | 12,802,023 | 860 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $91,923 | $64,000 | 12,805,537 | 738 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $87,890 | $61,000 | 579,315 | 45 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $89,455 | $64,000 | 869,666 | 48 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $85,249 | $60,000 | 10,273,419 | 796 |
| 34 | Georgia | $86,758 | $61,000 | 10,429,379 | 703 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $89,501 | $62,000 | 3,930,864 | 130 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $86,788 | $61,000 | 5,024,369 | 243 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $84,965 | $61,000 | 5,576,606 | 507 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $88,354 | $61,000 | 4,684,333 | 118 |
| 39 | Iowa | $84,447 | $60,000 | 3,145,711 | 227 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $82,892 | $61,000 | 1,427,538 | 76 |
| 41 | Missouri | $85,871 | $60,000 | 6,113,532 | 364 |
| 42 | Michigan | $76,922 | $54,000 | 9,962,311 | 798 |
| 43 | Nevada | $82,301 | $56,000 | 2,998,039 | 148 |
| 44 | Ohio | $79,754 | $56,000 | 11,658,609 | 671 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $82,523 | $58,000 | 1,920,076 | 135 |
| 46 | Florida | $75,325 | $51,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,294 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $79,675 | $57,000 | 5,795,483 | 338 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $81,921 | $57,000 | 2,984,100 | 94 |
| 49 | Indiana | $73,613 | $52,000 | 6,666,818 | 392 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $69,559 | $49,000 | 6,715,984 | 264 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $62,467 | $44,000 | 4,454,189 | 131 |
Highest paying states for system hardware engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. System Hardware Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $141,507 |
| 2 | California | $130,968 |
| 3 | Vermont | $110,177 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $107,323 |
| 5 | Arizona | $105,755 |
| 6 | Oregon | $107,131 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $110,970 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $105,553 |
| 9 | Texas | $104,140 |
| 10 | Virginia | $104,252 |
| 11 | Maine | $119,822 |
| 12 | Utah | $97,948 |
| 13 | Idaho | $105,295 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $106,385 |
| 15 | Alaska | $106,010 |
| 16 | New York | $104,478 |
| 17 | Kansas | $102,721 |
| 18 | Maryland | $100,413 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $99,672 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $95,538 |
| 21 | Alabama | $91,025 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $101,149 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $92,939 |
| 24 | Delaware | $93,819 |
| 25 | Colorado | $92,990 |
| 26 | Montana | $99,553 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $95,912 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $92,741 |
| 29 | Illinois | $93,353 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $91,923 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $87,890 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $89,455 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $85,249 |
| 34 | Georgia | $86,758 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $89,501 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $86,788 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $84,965 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $88,354 |
| 39 | Iowa | $84,447 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $82,892 |
| 41 | Missouri | $85,871 |
| 42 | Michigan | $76,922 |
| 43 | Nevada | $82,301 |
| 44 | Ohio | $79,754 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $82,523 |
| 46 | Florida | $75,325 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $79,675 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $81,921 |
| 49 | Indiana | $73,613 |
| 50 | Tennessee | $69,559 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $62,467 |
Expert opinions on the best states for system hardware engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for system hardware engineers to find work opportunities?
Jared Wilson
Assistant Professor and Faculty Coordinator, East Tennessee State University
Within the field of land surveying and related employment opportunities, work is available. However, in my experience, work may not be in the exact location a person wishes to live. So, a move may be necessary, or potentially traveling to where the work is located. Should a graduate, or person for that matter, want to work, work is available.
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Updated January 8, 2025