Computer Hardware Engineers pay range in Santa Maria
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $95,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $221,730 or more. The middle half of computer hardware engineers in Santa Maria earn between $121,180 and $174,240.
- $95K10th
- $121K25th
- $148KMedian
- $174K75th
- $222K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $154,060 | $12,838 | $74.07 |
| Median | $148,440 | $12,370 | $71.37 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $121,180 | $10,098 | $58.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $174,240 | $14,520 | $83.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Computer Hardware Engineers pay in Santa Maria vs. California and the U.S.
Computer hardware engineers in Santa Maria earn 19% less than the California average ($190,590) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($162,670). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $161,740.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | $154,060 | $148,440 | $95,320 | $221,730 | 60 |
| California | $190,590 | $185,180 | $126,590 | $281,210 | 19,820 |
| United States | $162,670 | $161,740 | $92,940 | $225,330 | 76,660 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary after taxes in Santa Maria
On the average salary of $154,060, a single filer in Santa Maria takes home about $106,330 a year, or $8,861 a month and $4,090 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% 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 Santa Maria a good place for computer hardware engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Santa Maria area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.8), so the average $154,060 buys what about $141,602 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Santa Maria ($51,690). A typical home costs $1,005,339, or 6.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary in other California cities
Santa Maria ranks 6th 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 Santa Maria: questions
How much do computer hardware engineers make an hour in Santa Maria?
$74.07 an hour on average, and $71.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level computer hardware engineers salary in Santa Maria?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $95,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $121,180, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the computer hardware engineers take-home pay in Santa Maria?
About $106,330 a year ($8,861 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $154,060. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do computer hardware engineers earn more in Santa Maria than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than the U.S. average for this job ($162,670).
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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA (42200). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 0.60, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.60).
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