Computer Hardware Engineers: salary, outlook & degrees
Research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use. May supervise the manufacturing and installation of computer or computer-related equipment and components.
Middle half $126,090–$202,990. 76,660 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
85% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $109,778.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 4,100 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | 20% | Computer Engineering |
| Computer Science | 16% | Computer Science |
| Electrical Engineering | 12% | Electrical Engineering |
| Computer And Information Systems | 6% | Computer and Information Sciences |
| General Engineering | 3% | Engineering |
| Communications | 2% | Communications · Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other |
| Mechanical Engineering | 2% | Mechanical Engineering |
| Commercial Art And Graphic Design | 2% | Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design |
| General Business | 2% | Business |
| Finance | 2% | Finance · Insurance |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| California | $185,180 |
| Washington | $169,120 |
| Massachusetts | $167,600 |
| New Mexico | $165,350 |
| Texas | $163,860 |
| New York | $163,470 |
| District of Columbia | $163,360 |
| Hawaii | $159,880 |
| Arizona | $158,280 |
| Colorado | $156,080 |
| Maryland | $152,730 |
| New Jersey | $142,880 |
| Virginia | $139,030 |
| Alabama | $136,990 |
| Delaware | $135,690 |
| Nebraska | $134,950 |
| North Carolina | $134,670 |
| Minnesota | $134,300 |
| Florida | $134,160 |
| Illinois | $133,220 |
| Idaho | $131,570 |
| Tennessee | $130,830 |
| New Hampshire | $129,140 |
| Iowa | $125,120 |
| South Carolina | $125,110 |
| Arkansas | $120,290 |
| Michigan | $119,670 |
| Rhode Island | $119,510 |
| Ohio | $118,160 |
| Nevada | $116,530 |
| Kentucky | $116,200 |
| Utah | $106,950 |
| Missouri | $103,980 |
| Kansas | $101,750 |
| South Dakota | $101,400 |
| Georgia | $100,210 |
| Indiana | $98,350 |
| Oklahoma | $95,600 |
| PR | $85,660 |
| Wisconsin | $83,670 |
| Louisiana | $83,550 |
| Mississippi | $78,320 |
Florida metro areas
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$136,300
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$125,680
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville$150,530
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$135,220
- Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin$128,060
- Panama City-Panama City Beach$121,160
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$159,480
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$131,710
- Richmond$132,270
- Charlottesville$113,510
California metro areas
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$209,860
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$174,440
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$203,890
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$158,530
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$127,730
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$134,060
- Bakersfield-Delano$126,460
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville$169,370
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
Knowledge used
- Computers and Electronics
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Mathematics
- English Language
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Innovation
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
People in this job tend to have Realistic (hands-on), Investigative (analytical), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Computer Hardware Engineers: questions
How much do computer Hardware Engineers make?
Computer Hardware Engineers earn a U.S. median $161,740 a year; the middle half earn $126,090 to $202,990 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $105,093 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is computer Hardware Engineers a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 9.1% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,100 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a computer Hardware Engineer?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 93% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is computer Engineering (20%).
How much do computer Hardware Engineers make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $134,160 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $161,740 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 17-2061. Method
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Cite this: “Computer Hardware Engineers: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/computer-hardware-engineers.