Architecture & Engineering
Computer Hardware Engineers
SOC 17-2061
Design and test the processors, memory, and hardware that computers run on.
The job
Median pay
$162k
$126k to $203k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing fast
+9.1% projected
Openings a year
4k
BLS projection
Typical education
Bachelor's
Our model
AI displacement risk
Very high
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
5/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
97th pct
More exposed than 97% of occupations · modeled estimate · 91st pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
61/100
Key skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Pay and jobs by state
BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 19,820 | 1.1 | 2.2× | $185k |
| Texas | 7,390 | 0.5 | 1.1× | $164k |
| New Mexico | 5,260 | 6.0 | 12.3× | $165k |
| Florida | 3,290 | 0.3 | 0.7× | $134k |
| Massachusetts | 3,150 | 0.9 | 1.8× | $168k |
| Arizona | 3,110 | 1.0 | 1.9× | $158k |
| New York | 3,020 | 0.3 | 0.6× | $163k |
| Colorado | 2,660 | 0.9 | 1.9× | $156k |
| Washington | 1,800 | 0.5 | 1.0× | $169k |
| Maryland | 1,720 | 0.6 | 1.3× | $153k |
All 51 states
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 1,720 | 0.4 | 0.8× | $139k |
| Pennsylvania | 1,610 | 0.3 | 0.5× | $150k~ |
| Illinois | 1,420 | 0.2 | 0.5× | $133k |
| Michigan | 1,420 | 0.3 | 0.7× | $120k |
| North Carolina | 1,340 | 0.3 | 0.6× | $135k |
| Tennessee | 1,321 | 0.4 | 0.8× | $131k~ |
| Oregon | 1,232 | 0.6 | 1.3× | $169k~ |
| Idaho | 920 | 1.1 | 2.2× | $132k |
| Missouri | 900 | 0.3 | 0.6× | $104k |
| Minnesota | 770 | 0.3 | 0.5× | $134k |
| South Carolina | 690 | 0.3 | 0.6× | $125k |
| Alabama | 680 | 0.3 | 0.7× | $137k |
| Georgia | 650 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $100k |
| New Jersey | 580 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $143k |
| Ohio | 580 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $118k |
| Kentucky | 500 | 0.2 | 0.5× | $116k |
| Utah | 430 | 0.2 | 0.5× | $107k |
| Rhode Island | 390 | 0.8 | 1.6× | $120k |
| Connecticut | 340 | 0.2 | 0.4× | $166k~ |
| Indiana | 320 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $98k |
| Maine | 310 | 0.5 | 1.0× | $153k~ |
| New Hampshire | 310 | 0.5 | 0.9× | $129k |
| Louisiana | 270 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $84k |
| Wisconsin | 270 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $84k |
| Montana | 240 | 0.5 | 0.9× | $132k~ |
| Kansas | 220 | 0.2 | 0.3× | $102k |
| Washington DC | 210 | 0.3 | 0.6× | $163k |
| Alaska | 190 | 0.6 | 1.2× | $173k~ |
| Oklahoma | 180 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $96k |
| North Dakota | 177 | 0.4 | 0.8× | $138k~ |
| Arkansas | 160 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $120k |
| Nevada | 160 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $117k |
| South Dakota | 160 | 0.3 | 0.7× | $101k |
| Mississippi | 150 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $78k |
| West Virginia | 140 | 0.2 | 0.4× | $137k~ |
| Wyoming | 136 | 0.5 | 1.0× | $156k~ |
| Iowa | 130 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $125k |
| Vermont | 130 | 0.4 | 0.9× | $145k~ |
| Hawaii | 90 | 0.1 | 0.3× | $160k |
| Nebraska | 80 | 0.1 | 0.2× | $135k |
| Delaware | 30 | 0.1 | 0.1× | $136k |
Top metro areas
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA7,940 jobs · $210k median
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX3,850 jobs · $166k median
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA3,330 jobs · $174k median
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH2,840 jobs · $168k median
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ2,820 jobs · $167k median
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA2,810 jobs · $204k median
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA1,870 jobs · $159k median
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV1,790 jobs · $159k median
Where this ranks
Explore Computer Hardware Engineers interactively →Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.