JobAfterNext

Computer Hardware Engineers

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$161,740
Employment, U.S.76,660
Median hourly wage$77.76
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$92,940$126,090$161,740$202,990$225,330
By state (45)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama680$136,9900.66
Arizona3,110$158,2801.94
Arkansas160$120,2900.25
California19,820$185,1802.21
Colorado2,660$156,0801.87
Connecticut340Not available0.41
Delaware30$135,6900.13
District of Columbia210$163,3600.62
Florida3,290$134,1600.67
Georgia650$100,2100.27
Hawaii90$159,8800.28
Idaho920$131,5702.18
Illinois1,420$133,2200.47
Indiana320$98,3500.20
Iowa130$125,1200.18
Kansas220$101,7500.32
Kentucky500$116,2000.50
Louisiana270$83,5500.28
Maryland1,720$152,7301.27
Massachusetts3,150$167,6001.76
Michigan1,420$119,6700.66
Minnesota770$134,3000.53
Mississippi150$78,3200.26
Missouri900$103,9800.62
Nebraska80$134,9500.16
Nevada160$116,5300.22
New Hampshire310$129,1400.92
New Jersey580$142,8800.27
New Mexico5,260$165,35012.25
New York3,020$163,4700.63
North Carolina1,340$134,6700.55
Ohio580$118,1600.21
Oklahoma180$95,6000.21
Pennsylvania1,610Not available0.54
Rhode Island390$119,5101.58
South Carolina690$125,1100.61
South Dakota160$101,4000.73
Tennessee$130,830
Texas7,390$163,8601.06
Utah430$106,9500.50
Vermont130Not available0.86
Virginia1,720$139,0300.85
Washington1,800$169,1201.03
West Virginia140Not available0.42
Wisconsin270$83,6700.19

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Electrical Engineers40.982
2Electronics Engineers, Except Computer40.977
3Photonics Engineers40.968
4Computer and Information Research Scientists50.968
5Microsystems Engineers50.967
6Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists40.967
7Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers40.961
8Blockchain Engineers40.961
9Database Architects40.961
10Automotive Engineers40.956

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Computer Hardware Engineers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Electronics Engineers, Except ComputerQuality Control Analysis0.880.977
Database ArchitectsProgramming1.370.961
Computer Systems Engineers/ArchitectsProgramming1.500.952
Database AdministratorsProgramming1.130.949
Wind Energy EngineersMathematics1.120.945
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersProgramming1.000.945
Materials ScientistsScience1.630.942
Validation EngineersScience1.130.942
Industrial EngineersMonitoring1.000.938
Petroleum EngineersSocial Perceptiveness0.870.934

All 14

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Computer Hardware Engineers, excluding software Computer Hardware Engineers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks16 of 2012.7x
C#13 of 2010.9x
Minitab13 of 208.6x
Microsoft Visual Studio10 of 2010.0x
Unified modeling language UML8 of 2014.8x
Microsoft Project15 of 203.4x
Finite element analysis FEA software5 of 2033.0x
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software9 of 206.7x
JavaScript10 of 205.5x
Extensible markup language XML10 of 205.3x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.00 4.50
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 4.00 4.12
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.88 4.12
WritingEssential skill 3.88 4.12
SpeakingEssential skill 3.88 4.00
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.88 3.88
Active LearningEssential skill 3.75 4.12
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.62 3.88
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 3.38 4.00
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.38 4.00
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.38 3.50
MathematicsEssential skill 3.25 3.38
MonitoringEssential skill 3.12 3.25
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.12 3.00
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.50
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
ScienceEssential skill 2.88 3.25
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.88 3.12
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 2.62 3.12
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.62 2.75
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.62 2.75
Technology DesignTransferable skill 2.62 2.75
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.62 2.62
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.50 2.75
ProgrammingTransferable skill 2.50 2.75
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.25 2.12
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 2.12 2.12
RepairingTransferable skill 2.12 2.12
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
InstallationTransferable skill 1.88 1.12
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.25
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.75 0.75
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Computers and Electronics 4.71 6.50
Engineering and Technology 4.66 6.38
Design 4.14 5.79
Mathematics 4.14 5.72
English Language 3.79 4.41
Physics 3.43 4.59
Telecommunications 3.10 4.00
Education and Training 2.90 4.41
Production and Processing 2.83 3.48
Administration and Management 2.72 3.54
Communications and Media 2.38 2.62
Administrative 2.31 2.66
Public Safety and Security 2.28 2.79
Law and Government 2.25 2.66
Customer and Personal Service 2.21 2.69
Personnel and Human Resources 2.14 2.66
Mechanical 2.07 2.59
Sales and Marketing 2.04 2.61
Chemistry 2.03 2.34
Economics and Accounting 1.90 2.00
Psychology 1.71 1.76
Transportation 1.52 1.14
Foreign Language 1.48 1.24
Biology 1.41 0.90
Medicine and Dentistry 1.38not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.31not rated
Geography 1.31 0.97
Therapy and Counseling 1.25not rated
Building and Construction 1.24not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.24not rated
History and Archeology 1.17not rated
Fine Arts 1.10not rated
Food Production 1.07not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 4.00 4.75
Written Comprehension 4.00 4.50
Deductive Reasoning 4.00 4.25
Inductive Reasoning 4.00 4.12
Information Ordering 4.00 4.12
Oral Expression 4.00 4.12
Problem Sensitivity 3.88 4.00
Written Expression 3.75 4.12
Near Vision 3.62 3.62
Category Flexibility 3.50 4.12
Originality 3.50 4.00
Speech Clarity 3.38 3.12
Fluency of Ideas 3.25 3.88
Visualization 3.25 3.88
Speech Recognition 3.25 3.00
Mathematical Reasoning 3.12 3.38
Number Facility 3.12 3.25
Flexibility of Closure 3.12 3.12
Perceptual Speed 2.88 3.00
Selective Attention 2.88 3.00
Memorization 2.75 2.88
Finger Dexterity 2.62 2.62
Visual Color Discrimination 2.50 2.75
Far Vision 2.50 2.62
Manual Dexterity 2.25 1.88
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.12 2.25
Speed of Closure 2.12 2.25
Time Sharing 2.12 1.88
Control Precision 2.12 1.62
Auditory Attention 2.00 2.00
Hearing Sensitivity 1.88 1.50
Depth Perception 1.88 1.38
Trunk Strength 1.50 1.00
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.50 0.75
Extent Flexibility 1.38 0.38
Sound Localization 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 112
  • Block diagram software
  • Boundary scan description language BSDL
  • Boundary scan insertion software
  • Built-in self-test BIST debugging software
  • Cadence Allegro PCB Designer
  • Cadence Concept
  • Cadence Dracula
  • Cadence Encounter RTL Compiler
  • Cadence Opus
  • Cadence OrCAD software
  • Cadence PSpice
  • Cadence Schematic Composer
  • Cadence Virtuoso Layout Suite
  • Cadence Virtuoso Spectre Circuit Simulator
  • Cisco IOS
  • Complementary-symmetry/metal-oxide semiconductor CMOS layout software
  • Computer diagnostic software
  • Computer simulation software
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Data acquisition systems
  • Database software
  • Design-for-testability DFT insertion software
  • Discrete Fourier transform DFT analysis software
  • Eko
  • Electronic design automation EDA software
  • Failure analysis software
  • Fast Fourier transform FFT analysis software
  • Field programmable gate array FPGA design software
  • Field programmable gate array FPGA logic synthesis software
  • Freescale CodeWarrior Tools
  • Hardware description and verification language
  • Hardware description language HDL
  • Integrated circuit simulation software
  • Internet search engine software
  • Logic synthesis software
  • LogicVision icBIST
  • M-Sim
  • MAGIC software
  • Magma Design Automation Blast Create
  • Magma Design Automation Blast FPGA
  • MathWorks Simulink
  • MathWorks Simulink DSP Blockset
  • MathWorks Simulink Fixed-Point Blockset
  • Mathsoft Mathcad
  • Mentor Graphics BSDArchitect
  • Mentor Graphics Calibre
  • Mentor Graphics LeonardoSpectrum
  • Mentor Graphics Precision RTL
  • Mentor Graphics Xpedition xDX Designer
  • Microarchitecture simulation software
  • Microsoft Visual C# .NET
  • Monte Carlo simulation software
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • PARTHENON
  • PTC Creo Parametric
  • Place-and-route software
  • Register transfer language RTL
  • SKILL FMEA software
  • Schematic editors
  • SoftICE
  • State diagram software
  • Synopsys Design Compiler
  • Synopsys HSIM
  • Synopsys HSPICE
  • Synopsys Hercules
  • Synopsys TetraMax ATPG
  • Synplicity Synplify
  • The MathWorks Real-Time Workshop
  • The MathWorks Signal Processing Toolbox
  • The MathWorks Symbolic Math Toolbox
  • The MathWorks Wavelet Toolbox
  • The Mathworks Control System Toolbox
  • The Mathworks Data Acquisition Toolbox
  • The Mathworks Embedded Coder
  • Timing analysis software
  • Verification software
  • Very high-speed integrated circuit VHSIC hardware description language VHDL
  • Web browser software
  • Windows kernel debuggers
  • Xilinx ISE Foundation
  • Xilinx ModelSim
  • Xilinx Synthesis Technology XST

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA7,94014.19$209,860
Aguadilla, PR2008.49$98,520
Boulder, CO6506.80$161,720
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX3,8506.03$165,530
Lexington Park, MD2105.93$127,620
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO4905.87$168,990
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA3,3304.39$174,440
Boise City, ID8304.30$131,570
Huntsville, AL5604.27$142,670
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL5004.12$150,530

More metros, other thresholds