Computer Hardware Engineer Salary in Los Angeles, CA
Computer Hardware Engineers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area earn a median $158,530 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $107,047 take-home, or $8,921 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median computer hardware engineer salary in Los Angeles, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$26,781
- Social Security (6.2%)$9,829
- Medicare (1.45%)$2,299
- California income tax$10,514
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$2,061
- Take-home pay$107,047
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 9.30% state
Computer Hardware Engineer pay by experience in Los Angeles, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $105,390 | $50.67 | $76,030 | $6,336 |
| 25th percentile | $131,130 | $63.04 | $91,223 | $7,602 |
| Median (50th) | $158,530 | $76.22 | $107,047 | $8,921 |
| 75th percentile | $198,360 | $95.37 | $130,908 | $10,909 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $222,470 | $106.96 | $145,756 | $12,146 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $158,530 buys in Los Angeles, CA
Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 13.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.70× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median computer hardware engineer's $107,047 take-home pay has the buying power of $94,259 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Computer Hardware Engineer jobs are less concentrated in Los Angeles, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.60), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for computer hardware engineers, adjusted for cost of living
Los Angeles, CA ranks #23 of 29 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin, TX | $165,530 | $124,406 | $126,859 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $209,860 | $138,173 | $125,131 |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | $162,870 | $122,588 | $118,913 |
| 4 | Fort Collins, CO | $168,990 | $120,044 | $118,705 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $167,010 | $121,451 | $117,553 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $203,890 | $134,409 | $116,258 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $169,120 | $126,860 | $114,151 |
| 8 | Palm Bay, FL | $150,530 | $114,153 | $114,148 |
| 23 | Los Angeles, CA | $158,530 | $107,047 | $94,259 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 29 metros →
Computer Hardware Engineer salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $209,860
- San Francisco, CA — $203,890
- San Diego, CA — $174,440
Frequently asked questions
How much does a computer hardware engineer make in Los Angeles, CA?
The median computer hardware engineer salary in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area is $158,530 a year, or about $76.22 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $131,130 and $198,360.
What is a computer hardware engineer’s take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA?
On the median $158,530 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $107,047 a year ($8,921 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $12,575 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Los Angeles, CA a good place to work as a computer hardware engineer?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $161,740. Local prices are 13.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $94,259 would in a typical U.S. city. Los Angeles, CA ranks #23 of 29 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a computer hardware engineer afford rent in Los Angeles, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Los Angeles, CA is $2,245 a month ($2,755 for two bedrooms) — 25% of a median computer hardware engineer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Los Angeles, CA
- Aerospace Engineer — $163,280
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer — $140,530
- Electrical Engineer — $139,780
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors — $131,540
- Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer — $128,240
- Environmental Engineer — $127,900
- Materials Engineer — $125,200
- Engineers, All Other — $125,060
- Mechanical Engineer — $123,900
- Industrial Engineer — $113,040
- Civil Engineer — $108,640
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval — $104,170