Computer Hardware Engineers Salary: $188,333 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 75,710 computer hardware engineers nationally earn a mean of $188,333. Employment in the series shown fell about 19% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 0.9% annual growth.
Key Statistics
Computer Hardware Engineers: what the data shows
Common questions about computer hardware engineers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a computer hardware engineers?
Computer Hardware Engineers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 17-2061.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 75,710 workers.
What does a computer hardware engineers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Analyzing Data or Information, Getting Information, Thinking Creatively, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a computer hardware engineers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $155,020 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $188,333 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $120,365 |
| 25th percentile | $146,024 |
| Median (50th) | $184,769 |
| 75th percentile | $220,997 |
What education do you need?
For Computer Hardware Engineers, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Speaking, and knowledge areas including Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology, Mathematics, Design. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is computer hardware engineers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.9% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 4.4%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 9.0%.
Current U.S. headcount: 75,710.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do computer hardware engineerss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 75,710 | 18.9% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 70,690 | 17.6% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 31,660 | 7.9% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 31,660 | 7.9% |
| Manufacturing | 25,600 | 6.4% |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 22,120 | 5.5% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Computer Hardware Engineers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineers | 355,410 | $99,590 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 43,640 | $39,270 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 53,520 | $60,800 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 36,880 | $52,080 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 293,930 | $100,070 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 497,800 | $103,790 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Computer Hardware Engineers workforce.
Employment Over Time
75,710 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.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 24,200 employees, $183,350 avg wage
- AZ: 3,390 employees, $155,730 avg wage
- TX: 3,380 employees, $131,250 avg wage
- MA: 3,350 employees, $174,290 avg wage
- CO: 2,920 employees, $159,920 avg wage
- FL: 2,890 employees, $124,320 avg wage
- NY: 2,500 employees, $146,890 avg wage
- MD: 2,420 employees, $141,810 avg wage
- VA: 1,840 employees, $143,220 avg wage
- IL: 1,500 employees, $112,910 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Computer Hardware Engineers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: 9,320 employees, $203,400 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 5,090 employees, $185,080 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA: 3,200 employees, $173,930 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 3,200 employees, $157,550 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 2,960 employees, $175,380 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 2,160 employees, $149,140 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 2,060 employees, $156,510 avg wage
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 1,390 employees, $140,050 avg wage
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 1,220 employees, N/A avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 1,180 employees, $133,780 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 75,710 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 75,710 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.