Computer Hardware Engineers
Computer Hardware Engineers earn an average annual salary of $188,333, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Computer Hardware Engineers workforce.
Employment Over Time
24,200 Workforce in 2023
The Computer Hardware Engineers workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$188,333 Average Wage
In 2023, Computer Hardware Engineers earned an average of $188,333.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Salary distribution for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Employment Growth Projections
0.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
94,184 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 4.4%
98,323 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 9.0%
This occupation is projected to grow at 0.9% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Computer Hardware Engineers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Computer Hardware Engineers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Wage Trends by Industry
6.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 20,910 employees, $190,069 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 9,320 employees, $208,928 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 3,200 employees, $178,657 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 2,600 employees, $199,041 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 2,490 employees, $180,805 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 1,090 employees, $154,725 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 1,070 employees, $151,630 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 330 employees, $103,868 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 320 employees, $139,830 avg wage
- Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 190 employees, $134,529 avg wage
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara MSA: 160 employees, $178,359 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Computer Hardware Engineers in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Computer Hardware Engineers in 2023 was 24,200 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Computer Hardware Engineers in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science.
Common majors for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Computer Hardware Engineers workers.
Education level distribution for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Skills
Computer Hardware Engineers need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving.
Required skills for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Computer Hardware Engineers include Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology, Mathematics, Design, English Language.
Knowledge areas required for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Computer Hardware Engineers include Inductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning, Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension.
Required abilities for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Computer Hardware Engineers.
Daily Activities
Computer Hardware Engineers spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information.
Most important work activities for Computer Hardware Engineers.
About
Computer Hardware Engineers
The average yearly wage for Computer Hardware Engineers was $188,333 in 2023.
SOC Code
17-2061 - Computer Hardware Engineers
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Computer Hardware Engineers reports an average salary of $188,333, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 24,200 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 0.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.