Computer hardware engineers

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2019 Workforce

60.4k

Average Age

41.4

Estimated Job Growth

5.43%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$113,160

Average Male Salary

$118,033

Average Female Salary

$88,853

About

Computer hardware engineers are most often employed by the Computer Systems Design industry. The average yearly wage for Computer hardware engineers was $113,160 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Computer hardware engineers by wage are Chemical engineers, Other financial specialists, and Financial analysts.

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 Sunnyvale & San Jose (North) Cities PUMA, CA, Fremont City (East) PUMA, CA, and San Jose (Northwest) & Santa Clara Cities PUMA, CA. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Computer hardware engineers are Sunnyvale & San Jose (North) Cities PUMA, CA, Fremont City (East) PUMA, CA, and Castle Rock Town PUMA, CO.

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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 Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals. Computer hardware engineers are paid most in Austin City (Northwest) PUMA, TX but are relatively concentrated in Sunnyvale & San Jose (North) Cities PUMA, CA.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$113,160

AVERAGE SALARY

± $8,107

In 2019, Computer hardware engineers earned an average of $113,160, $57,636 more than than the average national salary of $55,524.

Financial analysts 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

0.308

WAGE GINI

In 2016, Computer hardware engineers had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.308, 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.

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 Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals, Nondepository credit & related activities, Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. , Nondepository credit & related activities, Management of companies & enterprises, Data processing, hosting & related services, Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing, Electronics stores, Electronics stores, Broadcasting (except internet), Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. , Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments, Religious organizations, Electronic shopping, Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing, Management, scientific & technical consulting services, and Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. .

Industries by Share

60.4k

2019 Workforce

± 6,032

27%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 11.9%

The number of people employed as Computer hardware engineers has been growing at a rate of 27%, from 47,563 people in 2018 to 60,394 people in 2019.

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 27.7%, followed by Computer & peripheral equipment manufacturing with 10.6% and Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. with 4.54%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Computer hardware engineers in the US. The average age of male Computer hardware engineers in the workforce is 42.1 and of female Computer hardware engineers is 37.7, and the most common race/ethnicity for Computer hardware engineers is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

50.3k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 5,506

10.1k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 2,466

83.3% 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)

49.8% of Computer hardware engineers are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 32.5% 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

42.1

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.31

37.7

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 3.02

The median age of Computer hardware engineers is 41.4, and Male employees are generally 4.46 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

Growth Projections

Projections on wages and job growth for Computer hardware engineers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The ten-year national workforce is projected to grow 6.85%, but Computer hardware engineers are expected to see a growth of 5.43% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow slower than the national average.

Job Growth

5.43%

ESTIMATED GROWTH

6.85%

NATIONAL AVERAGE

This line chart shows the 10-year projected employment growth (from 2018 to 2028) for Computer hardware engineers. This profession is expected to grow lower than 6.85%, the average rate of national job growth.