Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Computer hardware engineers work in a field that combines technology, math, and problem solving, with strong national indicators for both pay and demand. National employment stands at 77,000, and projected employment growth of 7.3% suggests a solid path forward for people entering or advancing in this career. Around 5,000 annual openings point to a recurring flow of opportunities that can come from growth, retirements, and job changes. The role draws on a wide mix of skills, from computers and information technology to critical and analytical thinking, mathematics, and science, as well as creativity and innovation. Strong writing and reading, speaking and listening, mechanical skills, project management, and problem solving and decision making also play a role. With a national median salary of $155,020 and specialized skill demands, this occupation can be appealing for students and professionals who enjoy technical challenges and structured analytical work supported by a bachelor’s degree background.
Computer hardware engineers earn a national median annual salary of $155,020, reflecting strong earning potential across the occupation. Pay levels vary by location, with some states and metro areas offering notably higher median salaries. Among states, California stands out at $185,180, followed by Washington at $169,120 and Massachusetts at $167,600. New York and Colorado also sit above the national median, at $163,470 and $156,080 respectively. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest listed median salary at $209,860, with San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA close behind at $203,890. Several large metro areas, including Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ; and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, cluster in the upper $150,000s to $160,000s. This variation underscores how location choices can significantly influence compensation for hardware engineers.
Employment for computer hardware engineers is currently 77,000 nationwide, supported by a projected employment growth rate of 7.3%. This projection signals that demand is expected to increase over time. The occupation also has about 5,000 annual openings, which represent ongoing job opportunities as the workforce changes and expands. The combination of existing employment, projected growth, and annual openings suggests a career path with continuing prospects for both new entrants and experienced professionals. The same 7.3% growth rate appears across several leading states and metro areas, indicating that projected expansion is not limited to a single region. For students and mid-career professionals, this outlook supports long-term planning, particularly when paired with the occupation’s strong salary profile and clearly defined educational expectation of a bachelor’s degree. Overall, the labor-market indicators point to a stable and growing field for those prepared with the right technical and analytical skills.
Location plays a significant role in opportunities for computer hardware engineers, both in terms of employment levels and compensation. Among states, California leads with employment of 19,820 and a median salary of $185,180, paired with a CareerGPS opportunity score of 67.38. Massachusetts and New York offer median salaries of $167,600 and $163,470 and opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78, with employment of 3,150 and 3,020 respectively. Colorado and Washington also provide strong options, with median salaries between $156,080 and $169,120 and opportunity scores in the mid-50s. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA stands out with a median salary of $209,860, employment of 7,940, and the highest listed opportunity score of 77.42. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ shows a similarly high opportunity score of 77.27. Other metros such as San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also combine strong salaries with solid opportunity scores.
The typical education for computer hardware engineers is a bachelor’s degree, giving this career a clear entry path for students planning their academic choices. This educational foundation supports a broad set of skills that are important in the field. Core strengths include computers and information technology, mathematics, science, and critical and analytical thinking, which help with technical and quantitative aspects of the work. Creativity and innovation are also highlighted, suggesting value in generating new ideas and approaches. The skills profile additionally emphasizes writing and reading and speaking and listening, pointing to the importance of communicating clearly. Project management and problem solving and decision making indicate that organizing work, handling complexity, and making sound judgments are central to success. Mechanical skills round out the list, reflecting the relevance of understanding physical systems. Together, these skills and the bachelor’s degree expectation give prospective hardware engineers a concrete roadmap for education and professional development.
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