Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

17-2061 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. Excludes “Software Developers” (15-1252) and “Web Developers” (15-1254).


National estimates for Computer Hardware Engineers
Industry profile for Computer Hardware Engineers
Geographic profile for Computer Hardware Engineers

National estimates for Computer Hardware Engineers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Computer Hardware Engineers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
74,640 3.7 % $ 67.71 $ 140,830 1.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for Computer Hardware Engineers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 37.68 $ 49.76 $ 63.64 $ 80.64 $ 100.10
Annual Wage (2) $ 78,380 $ 103,490 $ 132,360 $ 167,740 $ 208,200


Industry profile for Computer Hardware Engineers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Computer Hardware Engineers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Computer Hardware Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Computer Hardware Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 15,540 1.79 $ 80.55 $ 167,540
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 11,850 3.16 $ 68.77 $ 143,040
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 11,710 0.47 $ 65.48 $ 136,200
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 6,780 0.43 $ 56.96 $ 118,480
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 5,890 3.74 $ 70.37 $ 146,370

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Computer Hardware Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 5,890 3.74 $ 70.37 $ 146,370
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 11,850 3.16 $ 68.77 $ 143,040
Scientific Research and Development Services 15,540 1.79 $ 80.55 $ 167,540
Communications Equipment Manufacturing 900 1.05 $ 58.88 $ 122,470
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 11,710 0.47 $ 65.48 $ 136,200

Top paying industries for Computer Hardware Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services 550 0.31 (5) (5)
Scientific Research and Development Services 15,540 1.79 $ 80.55 $ 167,540
Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities 140 0.01 $ 80.40 $ 167,240
Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) 50 (7) $ 79.36 $ 165,070
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 5,890 3.74 $ 70.37 $ 146,370


Geographic profile for Computer Hardware Engineers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Computer Hardware Engineers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Computer Hardware Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of computer hardware engineers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Computer Hardware Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 26,270 1.49 2.95 $ 80.26 $ 166,940
Oregon 8,460 4.46 8.83 $ 68.11 $ 141,670
Colorado 4,000 1.45 2.86 $ 65.46 $ 136,150
Texas 3,990 0.31 0.61 $ 55.15 $ 114,700
Maryland 2,740 1.04 2.06 $ 62.32 $ 129,630


Map of location quotient of computer hardware engineers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Computer Hardware Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oregon 8,460 4.46 8.83 $ 68.11 $ 141,670
California 26,270 1.49 2.95 $ 80.26 $ 166,940
Colorado 4,000 1.45 2.86 $ 65.46 $ 136,150
Maryland 2,740 1.04 2.06 $ 62.32 $ 129,630
Rhode Island 390 0.82 1.62 $ 53.65 $ 111,590


Map of annual mean wages of computer hardware engineers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Computer Hardware Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 26,270 1.49 2.95 $ 80.26 $ 166,940
Massachusetts 1,530 0.43 0.85 $ 68.25 $ 141,960
Oregon 8,460 4.46 8.83 $ 68.11 $ 141,670
Virginia 2,410 0.62 1.23 $ 67.07 $ 139,500
Colorado 4,000 1.45 2.86 $ 65.46 $ 136,150



Map of employment of computer hardware engineers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Computer Hardware Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 10,130 9.02 17.88 $ 88.91 $ 184,930
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 8,200 6.94 13.76 $ 68.09 $ 141,640
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 4,480 3.01 5.96 $ 77.04 $ 160,230
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,260 1.78 3.53 $ 86.12 $ 179,130
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,050 0.50 0.99 $ 59.80 $ 124,380
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,980 0.98 1.95 $ 68.67 $ 142,830
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 2,480 0.27 0.54 $ 65.17 $ 135,540
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,520 0.56 1.12 $ 68.09 $ 141,620
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,380 0.51 1.00 $ 53.15 $ 110,550
Austin-Round Rock, TX 1,380 1.17 2.32 $ 57.28 $ 119,140


Map of location quotient of computer hardware engineers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Computer Hardware Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 10,130 9.02 17.88 $ 88.91 $ 184,930
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 8,200 6.94 13.76 $ 68.09 $ 141,640
Fort Collins, CO 1,160 6.87 13.61 $ 71.26 $ 148,220
Corvallis, OR 240 6.43 12.73 $ 69.86 $ 145,310
California-Lexington Park, MD 210 4.50 8.91 $ 55.93 $ 116,340
Boulder, CO 830 4.35 8.61 $ 69.42 $ 144,400
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 4,480 3.01 5.96 $ 77.04 $ 160,230
Huntsville, AL 640 2.67 5.28 $ 61.59 $ 128,110
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 490 2.12 4.20 $ 63.42 $ 131,910
Colorado Springs, CO 600 1.97 3.91 $ 62.07 $ 129,110


Map of annual mean wages of computer hardware engineers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Computer Hardware Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 10,130 9.02 17.88 $ 88.91 $ 184,930
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,260 1.78 3.53 $ 86.12 $ 179,130
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 220 1.07 2.11 $ 80.20 $ 166,810
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 4,480 3.01 5.96 $ 77.04 $ 160,230
Worcester, MA-CT 50 0.17 0.34 $ 71.41 $ 148,530
Fort Collins, CO 1,160 6.87 13.61 $ 71.26 $ 148,220
New Haven, CT 150 0.52 1.02 $ 71.18 $ 148,050
Corvallis, OR 240 6.43 12.73 $ 69.86 $ 145,310
Boulder, CO 830 4.35 8.61 $ 69.42 $ 144,400
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,980 0.98 1.95 $ 68.67 $ 142,830

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Computer Hardware Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 170 3.55 7.04 $ 54.05 $ 112,430
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.41 0.81 $ 57.92 $ 120,460
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 30 0.15 0.29 $ 46.08 $ 95,850
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 30 0.31 0.61 $ 47.53 $ 98,860

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Computer Hardware Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 170 3.55 7.04 $ 54.05 $ 112,430
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.41 0.81 $ 57.92 $ 120,460
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 30 0.31 0.61 $ 47.53 $ 98,860
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 30 0.15 0.29 $ 46.08 $ 95,850

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Computer Hardware Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.41 0.81 $ 57.92 $ 120,460
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 170 3.55 7.04 $ 54.05 $ 112,430
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 30 0.31 0.61 $ 47.53 $ 98,860
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 30 0.15 0.29 $ 46.08 $ 95,850


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(5) This wage is equal to or greater than $115.00 per hour or $239,200 per year.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023