Architecture & Engineering
Computer Hardware Engineers
Also called: Design Engineer, Engineer, Field Service Engineer, Hardware Design Engineer
US median pay
$161,740
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+9.1%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
4,100
76,100 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- Update knowledge and skills to keep up with rapid advancements in computer technology.
- Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
- Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
- Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
- Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.
- Test and verify hardware and support peripherals to ensure that they meet specifications and requirements, by recording and analyzing test data.
- Direct technicians, engineering designers or other technical support personnel as needed.
- Provide technical support to designers, marketing and sales departments, suppliers, engineers and other team members throughout the product development and implementation process.
- Select hardware and material, assuring compliance with specifications and product requirements.
- Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Systems Evaluation3.4/5
- Systems Analysis3.4/5
- Operations Analysis3.4/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Operations Monitoring3.0/5
Knowledge
- Computers and Electronics4.7/5
- Engineering and Technology4.7/5
- Mathematics4.1/5
- Design4.1/5
- English Language3.8/5
- Physics3.4/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree48%
- Master's degree34%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.