Computer Hardware Engineers

Abstract

Computer systems design and related services 20% Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing 18 Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences 16 Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing 6 Federal government 6 Work Schedules Most computer hardware engineers work full time. To prepare for a major in computer or electrical engineering, students should have a solid background in math and science. Because hardware engineers commonly work with computer software systems, a familiarity with computer programming is usually expected. Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences $179,190 Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing 162,460 Computer systems design and related services 153,960 Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing 153,270 Federal government 134,430 Most computer hardware engineers work full time. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Hardware Engineers, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm (visited April 18, 2025).

Summary

Job Outlook

Employment of computer hardware engineers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 5,000 openings for computer hardware engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for computer hardware engineers.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of computer hardware engineers with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O·NET

Learn more about computer hardware engineers by visiting additional resources, including O·NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Computer Hardware Engineers Do

Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components such as processors, circuit boards, memory devices, networks, and routers.

Duties

Computer hardware engineers typically do the following:

Design new computer hardware, creating schematics of computer equipment to be built

Test the computer hardware they design

Analyze the test results and modify the design as needed

Update existing computer equipment so that it will work with new software

Oversee the manufacturing process for computer hardware

Many hardware engineers design devices used in manufactured products that incorporate processors and other computer components and that connect to the Internet. For example, many new cars, home appliances, and medical devices have Internet-ready computer systems built into them.

Computer hardware engineers ensure that computer hardware components work together with the latest software. Therefore, hardware engineers often work with software developers. For example, the hardware and software for mobile phones and other devices frequently are developed at the same time.

Work Environment

Computer hardware engineers held about 84,100 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of computer hardware engineers were as follows:

Computer systems design and related services 20%

Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing 18

Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences 16

Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing 6

Federal government 6

Work Schedules

Most computer hardware engineers work full time.

How to Become a Computer Hardware Engineer

Computer hardware engineers typically need a bachelor's degree from an accredited program.

Education

Entry-level computer hardware engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in computer engineering or a related field, such as computer and information technology. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have graduated from an engineering program accredited by a professional association, such as ABET . To prepare for a major in computer or electrical engineering, students should have a solid background in math and science.

Because hardware engineers commonly work with computer software systems, a familiarity with computer programming is usually expected. This background may be obtained through computer science courses.

Some large firms or specialized jobs may require a master's degree in computer engineering. Some experienced engineers obtain a master's degree in business administration (MBA). All engineers must continue their learning over the course of their careers in order to keep up with rapid advances in technology.

Other Experience

Some students participate in internships while in school so that they can gain practical experience.

Advancement

Some computer hardware engineers can advance to become computer and information systems managers.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Computer hardware engineers use computer programming tools to analyze the digital circuits in hardware to determine the best design.

Critical-thinking skills. These engineers use logic and reasoning to clarify goals, examine assumptions, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions.

Problem-solving skills. Computer hardware engineers identify complex problems in computer hardware, develop and evaluate possible solutions, and figure out the best way to implement them.

Communication skills. Engineers often work on teams and must be able to communicate with other types of engineers, software developers and programmers, as well as with nontechnical team members.

Pay

The median annual wage for computer hardware engineers was $155,020 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $85,430, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $223,820.

In May 2024, the median annual wages for computer hardware engineers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences $179,190

Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing 162,460

Computer systems design and related services 153,960

Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing 153,270

Federal government 134,430

Most computer hardware engineers work full time.

Job Outlook

Employment of computer hardware engineers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 5,000 openings for computer hardware engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Demand for computer hardware engineers is expected to grow, as these workers are needed to design parts for manufactured products that use processors and other components, such as household appliances, medical devices, and automobiles.

State & Area Data

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link below goes to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Use the dropdown boxes to select an occupation.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org . Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state's websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of computer hardware engineers.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about computer hardware engineers, visit

Association for Computing Machinery

IEEE Computer Society

For more information about ABET-accredited college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology, visit

ABET

CareerOneStop

For a career video on computer hardware engineers, visit

Computer Hardware Engineers

O·NET

Computer Hardware Engineers

SUGGESTED CITATION:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Hardware Engineers, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm (visited April 18, 2025).

Last Modified Date: Friday, April 18, 2025