Computer hardware engineers

Detailed Occupation

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2020 Workforce

54.4k

Average Age

Estimated Job Growth

1.55%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$114,028

Average Male Salary

$117,964

Average Female Salary

$88,452

About

Computer hardware engineers are most often employed by the Computer Systems Design industry. The average yearly wage for Computer hardware engineers was $114,028 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Computer hardware engineers by wage are Chemical engineers, Aerospace engineers, and Physician assistants.

Computer hardware engineers are part of the Architecture & engineering occupations, along with Architects, except landscape and naval, Landscape architects, Surveyors, cartographers, & photogrammetrists, Aerospace engineers, Chemical engineers, and 16 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Computer hardware engineers are San Jose (Northwest) & Santa Clara Cities PUMA, CA, Mountain View, Palo Alto & Los Altos Cities PUMA, CA, and Fremont City (East) PUMA, CA. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Computer hardware engineers are San Jose (Northwest) & Santa Clara Cities PUMA, CA, Mountain View, Palo Alto & Los Altos Cities PUMA, CA, and Sunnyvale & San Jose (North) Cities PUMA, CA.

Photo by ericnvntr

Employment

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Computer hardware engineers and on wages and locations for those in the field. Computer Systems Design is the industry that employs the most Computer hardware engineers, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Computer hardware engineers, by average wage, is Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals. Computer hardware engineers are paid most in San Diego (Northeast/Rancho Bernardo) & Poway Cities PUMA, CA but are relatively concentrated in San Jose (Northwest) & Santa Clara Cities PUMA, CA.

Yearly Wage

$114,028

AVERAGE SALARY

± $8,616

In 2020, Computer hardware engineers earned an average of $114,028, $58,074 more than than the average national salary of $55,954.

Aerospace engineers make somewhat more than Computer hardware engineers while Chemical engineers make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Computer hardware engineers as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.3

WAGE GINI

In 2015, Computer hardware engineers had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.3, which is lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Computer hardware engineers (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Computer hardware engineers.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Computer hardware engineers

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Computer hardware engineers.

Most Common

The most common industries employing Computer hardware engineers, by number of employees, are Computer Systems Design, Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing, Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. , Architectural, engineering & related services, Banking & related activities, National security & international affairs, Insurance carriers, Management, scientific & technical consulting services, Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments, Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges, and Nondepository credit & related activities.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Computer hardware engineers, by average wage, are Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, Investigation & security services, and Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. .

Industries by Share

54.4k

2020 Workforce

± 5,723

2.42%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 14.6%

The number of people employed as Computer hardware engineers has been growing at a rate of 2.42%, from 53,074 people in 2019 to 54,360 people in 2020.

This graphic shows the share of Computer hardware engineers employed by various industries. Computer Systems Design employs the largest share of Computer hardware engineers at 31.4%, followed by Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing with 9.37% and Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. with 6.2%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Computer hardware engineers in the US. The average age of male Computer hardware engineers in the workforce is 42.3 and of female Computer hardware engineers is 40.3, and the most common race/ethnicity for Computer hardware engineers is White (Non-Hispanic).

Composition by Sex

47.1k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 5,328

7.25k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 2,090

86.7% of Computer hardware engineers are Male, making them the more common sex in the occupation. This chart shows the sex breakdown of Computer hardware engineers.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Computer hardware engineers

White (Non-Hispanic)
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)

53.3% of Computer hardware engineers are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 29.6% of Computer hardware engineers, Asian (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Computer hardware engineers.

Age by Sex

42.3

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.31

40.3

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 3.48

The median age of Computer hardware engineers is 42, and Male employees are generally 1.97 years older than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Computer hardware engineers from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Computer hardware engineers is Engineering but a relatively high number of Computer hardware engineers hold a major in Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Computer hardware engineers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Computer hardware engineers need many skills, but most especially Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Writing. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Computer hardware engineers need more than the average amount of Programming, Operations Analysis, and Science.

Radar Distribution

Bar Chart

Projections

Projections on job growth for Computer Hardware Engineers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Computer Hardware Engineers are expected to see a growth of 1.55% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

1.55%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Computer Hardware Engineers. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.