Computer hardware engineers

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Total Workforce

47.6k

Average Age

42.3

Average Salary

$111,871

Average Male Salary

$116,266

Average Female Salary

$84,837

About

Computer hardware engineers are most often employed by the Computer Systems Design industry. The average yearly wage for Computer hardware engineers was $111,871 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Computer hardware engineers by wage are Other financial specialists, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Financial managers.

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 Mountain View, Palo Alto & Los Altos Cities PUMA, CA, San Jose City (Southwest/Almaden Valley) PUMA, CA, and Austin City (Northwest) PUMA, TX. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Computer hardware engineers are San Jose City (Southwest/Almaden Valley) PUMA, CA, Austin City (Northwest) PUMA, TX, and Mountain View, Palo Alto & Los Altos Cities PUMA, CA.

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Management, business, science, & arts occupations Computer, engineering, & science occupations Architecture & engineering occupations

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 Nondepository credit & related activities. Computer hardware engineers are paid most in Austin City (Northwest) PUMA, TX but are relatively concentrated in San Jose City (Southwest/Almaden Valley) PUMA, CA.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$111,871

AVERAGE SALARY

± $8,674

In 2018, Computer hardware engineers earned an average of $111,871, $57,983 more than than the average national salary of $53,888.

Other financial specialists make somewhat more than Computer hardware engineers while Magnetic resonance imaging technologists 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

0.317

WAGE GINI

In 2018, Computer hardware engineers had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.317, which is lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Computer hardware engineers, by number of employees, are Computer Systems Design, Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing, and Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. .

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Computer hardware engineers, by average wage, are Nondepository credit & related activities, Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing, Electronics stores, Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. , Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments, and Electronic shopping.

Industries by Share

47.6k

2018 Workforce

± 5,354

-3.35%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 16.3%

The number of people employed as Computer hardware engineers has been declining at a rate of -3.35%, from 49,214 people in 2017 to 47,563 people in 2018.

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 30.8%, followed by Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing with 10.5% and Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. with 6.32%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Computer hardware engineers in the US. The average age of male Computer hardware engineers in the workforce is 42.9 and of female Computer hardware engineers is 38.7, and the most common race/ethnicity for Computer hardware engineers is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

40.9k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 4,965

6.65k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 2,002

86% of Computer hardware engineers are Male, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender 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)

56.9% of Computer hardware engineers are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 31.9% 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 Gender

42.9

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.41

38.7

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 3.61

The median age of Computer hardware engineers is 42.3, and Male employees are generally 4.21 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 Engineering.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degree-majorss. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree-majors 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, Installation, and Operations Analysis.