Computer Hardware Engineers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $210,100 or more. The middle half of computer hardware engineers in Chicago earn between $97,820 and $169,550.
- $76K10th
- $98K25th
- $134KMedian
- $170K75th
- $210K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $139,310 | $11,609 | $66.98 |
| Median | $133,860 | $11,155 | $64.36 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $97,820 | $8,152 | $47.03 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $169,550 | $14,129 | $81.51 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $139,310, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $99,730 a year, or $8,311 a month and $3,836 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $102,335 | $8,528 |
| Working in IL | $99,730 | $8,311 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for computer hardware engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $139,310 buys what about $134,476 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 2.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$102,920
- Madison, WI$102,140
- Grand Rapids, MI$108,800
- Indianapolis, IN$114,640
- Cedar Rapids, IA$164,320
- Ann Arbor, MI$128,130
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 Chicago: questions
How much do computer hardware engineers make an hour in Chicago?
$66.97 an hour on average, and $64.35 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level computer hardware engineers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $97,820, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the computer hardware engineers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $99,730 a year ($8,311 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $139,310.
Do computer hardware engineers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% less 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.6%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.49, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.49).
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