Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Honolulu

What do we mean when we talk about computer and engineering jobs? Well, that depends. These positions encompass various roles dedicated to new technology development and maintenance. Take software developers, who create and oversee computer programs, versus mechanical engineers, who design and build physical products, tools, and systems. However different these careers may be, though, they do have a few things in common: bachelor's degree requirements, a focus on analytical thinking, and the allure of a steady paycheck, particularly for recent college graduates.

First, the bad news—ongoing technological advancements have massively impacted these industries. As the use of artificial intelligence has exploded in the technology sector, finding an entry-level job has become increasingly difficult. LinkedIn Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman noted in a May 2025 op-ed for The New York Times that artificial intelligence is decimating the "bottom rung of the career ladder" in technology, while a May 2025 report from SignalFire found that the hiring of new grads at the nation's 15 largest tech companies has dropped by more than 50% since 2019.

Yet, while the situation may seem dire, it's not all doom and gloom for computer and engineering jobs. Although these positions may be more selective than they once were, many pay far more than the country's 2024 median wages of $49,500. Those in computer and information technology occupations can expect to make a median salary of $105,990 as of 2024, while engineers earn median wages of more than $97,000.

Employment in these fields is also expected to grow at a healthy rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an average of 356,700 new computer job openings yearly through 2033, and 195,000 new engineering job openings in the same period. Furthermore, growing interest in sustainable infrastructure and construction techniques could lead to exciting opportunities for engineers.

Though it's difficult to predict the exact future of computer and engineering jobs, those interested in these fields can at least consider one important aspect: salary. Stacker used BLS data to find the highest-paying computer and engineering jobs Honolulu. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.

You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Honolulu?

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

1 / 39

#39. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $48,770
- Median hourly wage: $23.45
- Total employment: 90 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

2 / 39

#38. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $53,450
- Median hourly wage: $25.70
- Total employment: Not available

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

3 / 39

#37. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 1,980 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

4 / 39

#36. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $60,020
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: Not available

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

5 / 39

#35. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $64,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 500 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

6 / 39

#34. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $68,810
- Median hourly wage: $33.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

7 / 39

#33. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

- Median annual wage: $74,400
- Median hourly wage: $35.77
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pheelings media // Shutterstock

8 / 39

#32. Statisticians

- Median annual wage: $75,630
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedy // Shutterstock

9 / 39

#31. Surveyors

- Median annual wage: $79,730
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 90 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 39

#30. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $82,170
- Median hourly wage: $39.51
- Total employment: 450 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

11 / 39

#29. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $86,810
- Median hourly wage: $41.73
- Total employment: 530 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

12 / 39

#28. Computer systems analysts

- Median annual wage: $87,070
- Median hourly wage: $41.86
- Total employment: 1,650 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Francesco Scatena // Shutterstock

13 / 39

#27. Cartographers and photogrammetrists

- Median annual wage: $88,200
- Median hourly wage: $42.41
- Total employment: Not available

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

14 / 39

#26. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $90,650
- Median hourly wage: $43.58
- Total employment: 380 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

15 / 39

#25. Database administrators

- Median annual wage: $93,400
- Median hourly wage: $44.91
- Total employment: 100 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

16 / 39

#24. Mechanical engineers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $94,000
- Median hourly wage: $45.19
- Total employment: 420 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

17 / 39

#23. Web developers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $94,000
- Median hourly wage: $45.19
- Total employment: Not available

wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock

18 / 39

#22. Civil engineers

- Median annual wage: $96,160
- Median hourly wage: $46.23
- Total employment: 1,580 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PR Image Factory // Shutterstock

19 / 39

#21. Operations research analysts

- Median annual wage: $97,630
- Median hourly wage: $46.94
- Total employment: 110 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

20 / 39

#20. Architects, except landscape and naval

- Median annual wage: $99,890
- Median hourly wage: $48.03
- Total employment: 450 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

21 / 39

#19. Network and computer systems administrators

- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.08
- Total employment: 1,870 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kardasov Films // Shutterstock

22 / 39

#18. Marine engineers and naval architects

- Median annual wage: $102,190
- Median hourly wage: $49.13
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

23 / 39

#17. Electrical engineers

- Median annual wage: $104,150
- Median hourly wage: $50.07
- Total employment: 840 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

24 / 39

#16. Environmental engineers

- Median annual wage: $105,050
- Median hourly wage: $50.51
- Total employment: 220 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

dokurose // Shutterstock

25 / 39

#15. Actuaries

- Median annual wage: $107,690
- Median hourly wage: $51.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Recently opened restaurants in the Honolulu area

PIYAWAT WONGOPASS // Shutterstock

26 / 39

#14. Computer programmers

- Median annual wage: $108,040
- Median hourly wage: $51.94
- Total employment: Not available

N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock

27 / 39

#13. Computer occupations, all other

- Median annual wage: $112,050
- Median hourly wage: $53.87
- Total employment: 1,750 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

28 / 39

#12. Web and digital interface designers

- Median annual wage: $113,190
- Median hourly wage: $54.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

29 / 39

#11. Computer network architects

- Median annual wage: $114,590
- Median hourly wage: $55.09
- Total employment: 380 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wee dezign // Shutterstock

30 / 39

#10. Software developers

- Median annual wage: $118,630
- Median hourly wage: $57.03
- Total employment: 1,630 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock

31 / 39

#9. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

- Median annual wage: $119,530
- Median hourly wage: $57.47
- Total employment: 160 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

32 / 39

#8. Engineers, all other

- Median annual wage: $120,330
- Median hourly wage: $57.85
- Total employment: 830 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

33 / 39

#7. Electronics engineers, except computer

- Median annual wage: $122,260
- Median hourly wage: $58.78
- Total employment: 260 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock

34 / 39

#6. Information security analysts

- Median annual wage: $123,320
- Median hourly wage: $59.29
- Total employment: 520 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock

35 / 39

#5. Data scientists

- Median annual wage: $123,950
- Median hourly wage: $59.59
- Total employment: 220 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aappp // Shutterstock

36 / 39

#4. Aerospace engineers

- Median annual wage: $132,200
- Median hourly wage: $63.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SeventyFour // Shutterstock

37 / 39

#3. Computer hardware engineers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $140,150
- Median hourly wage: $67.38
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

38 / 39

#2. Computer and information research scientists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $140,150
- Median hourly wage: $67.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MinskDesign // Shutterstock

39 / 39

#1. Database architects

- Median annual wage: $149,500
- Median hourly wage: $71.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Honolulu

#39. Surveying and mapping technicians

#38. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

#37. Computer user support specialists

#36. Electrical and electronics drafters

#35. Architectural and civil drafters

#34. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

#33. Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors

#32. Statisticians

#31. Surveyors

#30. Computer network support specialists

#29. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

#28. Computer systems analysts

#27. Cartographers and photogrammetrists

#26. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

#25. Database administrators

#24. Mechanical engineers (tie)

#23. Web developers (tie)

#22. Civil engineers

#21. Operations research analysts

#20. Architects, except landscape and naval

#19. Network and computer systems administrators

#18. Marine engineers and naval architects

#17. Electrical engineers

#16. Environmental engineers

#15. Actuaries

#14. Computer programmers

#13. Computer occupations, all other

#12. Web and digital interface designers

#11. Computer network architects

#10. Software developers

#9. Software quality assurance analysts and testers

#8. Engineers, all other

#7. Electronics engineers, except computer

#6. Information security analysts

#5. Data scientists

#4. Aerospace engineers

#3. Computer hardware engineers (tie)

#2. Computer and information research scientists (tie)

#1. Database architects

Trending stories

30 best nature documentaries of all time

Best drama movies from the last decade

Best Law & Order SVU episodes

50 longest-running TV series