Computer Hardware Engineers pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $130,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $284,580 or more. The middle half of computer hardware engineers in San Francisco earn between $151,970 and $221,290.
- $131K10th
- $152K25th
- $204KMedian
- $221K75th
- $285K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $198,010 | $16,501 | $95.20 |
| Median | $203,890 | $16,991 | $98.02 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $151,970 | $12,664 | $73.06 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $221,290 | $18,441 | $106.39 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $198,010, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $133,121 a year, or $11,093 a month and $5,120 every two weeks. Taxes take 33% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for computer hardware engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $198,010 buys what about $171,270 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.7 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 2nd of 9 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($208,700).
- San Jose$208,700
- San Francisco$198,010
- San Diego$177,800
- Los Angeles$164,390
- Santa Cruz$159,600
- Santa Maria$154,060
- Riverside$143,240
- Oxnard$129,860
- Bakersfield$127,700
Highest-paying cities for computer hardware engineers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($208,700).
- San Jose, CA$208,700
- San Francisco, CA$198,010
- Allentown, PA$188,740
- Durham, NC$185,400
- Seattle, WA$180,820
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Computer Hardware Engineers salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do computer hardware engineers make an hour in San Francisco?
$95.20 an hour on average, and $98.02 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level computer hardware engineers salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $130,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $151,970, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the computer hardware engineers take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $133,121 a year ($11,093 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $198,010. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do computer hardware engineers earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($164,979).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2061; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.40, this job is 2.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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