Computer Hardware Engineer salary in Santa Maria, CA

Based on 12 certified H-1B filings in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Goleta.

Also listed as: Hardware Development Engineer

Median salary$161,000
Middle 50%$157.5k–$175.6k
vs. national median−6%comparison median $171,000
Filings12FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $136,152 and $221,030.
PercentileSalary
10th$146,228
25th$157,500
50th (median)$161,000
75th$175,638
90th$195,055

Cost of living

Santa Maria's median Computer Hardware Engineer salary of $161,000 is worth about $148,000 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Santa Maria = 108.8).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Hardware Engineers in the Santa Maria, CA area earned a median of $148,440 in May 2025 (60 employed). The H-1B median here is $161,000, 8% higher.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
Googletoo few9
Mentium Technologiestoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I – 0
Mid-level · Level II too few 7
Senior · Level III too few 3
Expert · Level IV – 0

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.