Computer Hardware Engineers Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
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Computer Hardware Engineers

17-2061

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.

Median annual wage

$161,740

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Projected change

9.1%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Annual openings

4.1k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

National employment

76,660

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$161,740

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Mean annual wage

$162,670

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Hourly median wage

$77.76

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Hourly mean wage

$78.21

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

10th percentile annual wage

$92,940

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

25th percentile annual wage

$126,090

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

75th percentile annual wage

$202,990

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

90th percentile annual wage

$225,330

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

National employment

76,660

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 17-2061

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

9.1%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Average annual openings

4.1k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

Bachelor's degree

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

On-the-job training

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 17-2061

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

4 raw · CX scale
74% relative

Relative scale: 74% · raw 3.97 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Time pressure

3.7 raw · CX scale
67% relative

Relative scale: 67% · raw 3.66 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Spend time standing

2.1 raw · CX scale
27% relative

Relative scale: 27% · raw 2.07 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Exposed to contaminants

1.4 raw · CX scale
11% relative

Relative scale: 11% · raw 1.44 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1 raw · CX scale
1% relative

Relative scale: 1% · raw 1.04 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

1.2 raw · CX scale
5% relative

Relative scale: 5% · raw 1.21 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Reading comprehension

4.5 raw · LV scale
64% relative

Relative scale: 64% · raw 4.5 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Active learning

4.1 raw · LV scale
59% relative

Relative scale: 59% · raw 4.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Critical thinking

4.1 raw · LV scale
59% relative

Relative scale: 59% · raw 4.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Writing

4.1 raw · LV scale
59% relative

Relative scale: 59% · raw 4.12 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Speaking

4 raw · LV scale
57% relative

Relative scale: 57% · raw 4 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Active listening

3.9 raw · LV scale
55% relative

Relative scale: 55% · raw 3.88 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Mathematics

3.4 raw · LV scale
48% relative

Relative scale: 48% · raw 3.38 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Monitoring

3.3 raw · LV scale
46% relative

Relative scale: 46% · raw 3.25 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Dependability

2.4 raw · WI scale
89% relative

Relative scale: 89% · raw 2.36 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Attention to detail

2.7 raw · WI scale
95% relative

Relative scale: 95% · raw 2.67 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Stress tolerance

1.2 raw · WI scale
69% relative

Relative scale: 69% · raw 1.16 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

Cooperation

1 raw · WI scale
66% relative

Relative scale: 66% · raw 0.98 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 17-2061.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 17-2061 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 17-2061 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 17-2061.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Source: Employment Projections
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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Source: Employment Projections
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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.