Computer hardware engineers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $92,940 | $44.68 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $161,740 | $77.76 |
| Mean (average) | $162,670 | $78.21 |
| 90th percentile | $225,330 | $108.33 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Computer hardware engineers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 46 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $136,990 | $80,680 | $195,190 | 680 | 0.66 |
| Arizona | $158,280 | $100,900 | $218,440 | 3,110 | 1.94 |
| Arkansas | $120,290 | $70,870 | $166,450 | 160 | 0.25 |
| California | $185,180 | $126,590 | $281,210 | 19,820 | 2.21 |
| Colorado | $156,080 | $100,050 | $222,220 | 2,660 | 1.87 |
| Connecticut | Data unavailable | 340 | 0.41 | ||
| Delaware | $135,690 | $96,140 | $200,240 | 30 | 0.13 |
| District of Columbia | $163,360 | $100,690 | $211,950 | 210 | 0.62 |
| Florida | $134,160 | $77,680 | $203,510 | 3,290 | 0.67 |
| Georgia | $100,210 | $70,920 | $165,610 | 650 | 0.27 |
| Hawaii | $159,880 | $94,270 | $202,980 | 90 | 0.28 |
| Idaho | $131,570 | $85,230 | $212,880 | 920 | 2.18 |
| Illinois | $133,220 | $77,420 | $210,100 | 1,420 | 0.47 |
| Indiana | $98,350 | $73,780 | $136,970 | 320 | 0.2 |
| Iowa | $125,120 | $77,480 | $187,980 | 130 | 0.18 |
| Kansas | $101,750 | $74,520 | $145,800 | 220 | 0.32 |
| Kentucky | $116,200 | $71,400 | $128,050 | 500 | 0.5 |
| Louisiana | $83,550 | $47,840 | $150,290 | 270 | 0.28 |
| Maryland | $152,730 | $87,840 | $198,300 | 1,720 | 1.27 |
| Massachusetts | $167,600 | $118,490 | $258,880 | 3,150 | 1.76 |
| Michigan | $119,670 | $78,240 | $176,700 | 1,420 | 0.66 |
| Minnesota | $134,300 | $84,770 | $176,340 | 770 | 0.53 |
| Mississippi | $78,320 | $68,770 | $140,650 | 150 | 0.26 |
| Missouri | $103,980 | $61,290 | $150,050 | 900 | 0.62 |
| Nebraska | $134,950 | $96,910 | $173,350 | 80 | 0.16 |
| Nevada | $116,530 | $83,310 | $155,020 | 160 | 0.22 |
| New Hampshire | $129,140 | $75,740 | $202,720 | 310 | 0.92 |
| New Jersey | $142,880 | $87,540 | $210,900 | 580 | 0.27 |
| New Mexico | $165,350 | $117,150 | $204,150 | 5,260 | 12.25 |
| New York | $163,470 | $101,530 | $224,490 | 3,020 | 0.63 |
| North Carolina | $134,670 | $74,310 | $234,390 | 1,340 | 0.55 |
| Ohio | $118,160 | $75,240 | $196,680 | 580 | 0.21 |
| Oklahoma | $95,600 | $77,150 | $171,560 | 180 | 0.21 |
| Pennsylvania | Data unavailable | 1,610 | 0.54 | ||
| Puerto Rico | $85,660 | $64,590 | $138,930 | 370 | 0.81 |
| Rhode Island | $119,510 | $80,620 | $158,570 | 390 | 1.58 |
| South Carolina | $125,110 | $74,990 | $171,540 | 690 | 0.61 |
| South Dakota | $101,400 | $78,040 | $150,110 | 160 | 0.73 |
| Tennessee | $130,830 | $96,300 | $167,030 | ||
| Texas | $163,860 | $92,940 | $216,260 | 7,390 | 1.06 |
| Utah | $106,950 | $72,550 | $168,320 | 430 | 0.5 |
| Vermont | Data unavailable | 130 | 0.86 | ||
| Virginia | $139,030 | $87,630 | $195,290 | 1,720 | 0.85 |
| Washington | $169,120 | $100,120 | $260,210 | 1,800 | 1.03 |
| West Virginia | Data unavailable | 140 | 0.42 | ||
| Wisconsin | $83,670 | $68,330 | $172,820 | 270 | 0.19 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for computer hardware engineers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for computer hardware engineers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Computer Engineering, General CIP 14.0901
- Computer Hardware Engineering CIP 14.0902
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering CIP 14.1001
- Electrical and Computer Engineering CIP 14.4701
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology.
- Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
- Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
- Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
- Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.
- Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data.
- Direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed.
- Provide technical support to designers, marketing and sales departments, suppliers, engineers and other team members throughout the product development and implementation process.
Technology skills
- C (in demand)
- C++ (in demand)
- Linux (in demand)
- Perl (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- The MathWorks MATLAB (in demand)
- Magellan Firmware (in demand)
- PCI Express PCIe (in demand)
- Simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis SPICE (in demand)
- SystemVerilog (in demand)
- Tool command language Tcl (in demand)
- Verilog (in demand)
- Very high speed integrated circuit VHSIC hardware description language VHDL simulation software (in demand)
- Apache Subversion SVN (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Git (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Analysis, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Coordination.
Common job titles: Design Engineer, Engineer, Field Service Engineer, Hardware Design Engineer, Hardware Engineer, Physical Design Engineer, Project Engineer, Staff Engineer, Systems Integration Engineer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do computer hardware engineers make?
The national median annual wage for computer hardware engineers was $161,740 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $92,940 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $225,330. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do computer hardware engineers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is computer hardware engineers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of computer hardware engineers to change +9.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay computer hardware engineers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($185,180), Washington ($169,120), Massachusetts ($167,600). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.