Computer Hardware Engineers pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $100,390 a year or less, while the top 10% make $216,650 or more. The middle half of computer hardware engineers in Boulder earn between $132,770 and $205,000.
- $100K10th
- $133K25th
- $162KMedian
- $205K75th
- $217K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $162,060 | $13,505 | $77.91 |
| Median | $161,720 | $13,477 | $77.75 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $132,770 | $11,064 | $63.83 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $205,000 | $17,083 | $98.56 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Computer Hardware Engineers pay in Boulder vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Computer hardware engineers in Boulder earn about the same as the Colorado average ($158,480) and about the same as the U.S. average ($162,670). At the median the gap is -0% against the U.S. median of $161,740.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $162,060 | $161,720 | $100,390 | $216,650 | 650 |
| Colorado | $158,480 | $156,080 | $100,050 | $222,220 | 2,660 |
| 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 Boulder
On the average salary of $162,060, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $115,612 a year, or $9,634 a month and $4,447 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for computer hardware engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $162,060 buys what about $154,047 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Computer Hardware Engineers salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 2nd of 4 Colorado metro areas for this job; Fort Collins pays the most ($168,950).
- Fort Collins$168,950
- Boulder$162,060
- Denver$157,600
- Colorado Springs$146,080
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
Does this match what you are paid?
Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.
Share your pay anonymously
Computer Hardware Engineers salary in Boulder: questions
How much do computer hardware engineers make an hour in Boulder?
$77.91 an hour on average, and $77.75 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level computer hardware engineers salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $100,390 a year and the 25th percentile is $132,770, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the computer hardware engineers take-home pay in Boulder?
About $115,612 a year ($9,634 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $162,060. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do computer hardware engineers earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.6%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 6.80, this job is 6.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.