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Computer Hardware Engineers in Virginia

Thinking about a career as a Computer Hardware Engineers in Virginia? Here’s what the data says. 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).

What do Computer Hardware Engineers Make in Virginia?

For a computer hardware engineers working in Virginia, the median annual wage is $139,570 per year (or about $67.10/hour).Annual wages span from $82,760 at the 10th percentile to $215,110 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$82,760	$39.79
25th percentile	$102,810	$49.43
Median (50th)	$139,570	$67.10
75th percentile	$178,330	$85.74
90th percentile	$215,110	$103.42

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Virginia compared to the national average — is 0.92.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, computer hardware engineers earn a median of $63,909 per year ($30.73/hour), higher than the Virginia median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 370,152 computer hardware engineers across the United States. In Virginia alone, approximately 1,840 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 510 computer hardware engineers.

Top Virginia Metros for Computer Hardware Engineers

These are the Virginia metros with the most computer hardware engineers in Virginia.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	280	$130,810
Richmond, VA	100	$125,350
Charlottesville, VA	30	$134,440
Lynchburg, VA	30	$124,220

Top States for Computer Hardware Engineers Employment

The table below shows the states where the most computer hardware engineers work.

State	Number Employed
California	24,200
Arizona	3,390
Texas	3,380
Massachusetts	3,350
Colorado	2,920
Florida	2,890
New York	2,500
Maryland	2,420
Virginia	1,840
Illinois	1,500
Michigan	1,440
Washington	1,370
North Carolina	1,250
Pennsylvania	940
Idaho	820
Alabama	800
Ohio	790
New Jersey	690
Missouri	580
Minnesota	560

Highest-Paying States for Computer Hardware Engineers

Where computer hardware engineers earn the most: computer hardware engineers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Connecticut	$188,540
California	$179,880
Washington	$174,070
Massachusetts	$170,570
Arizona	$163,090
Colorado	$162,920
Hawaii	$155,390
District of Columbia	$153,630
New Hampshire	$152,840
New York	$141,780

Skills

The most important computer hardware engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Top abilities for computer hardware engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, computer hardware engineers typically:

• 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.
• Analyze user needs and recommend appropriate hardware.
• Evaluate factors such as reporting formats required, cost constraints, and need for security restrictions to determine hardware configuration.

Work Activities

• Working with Computers
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Analyzing Data or Information
• Getting Information
• Thinking Creatively
• Processing Information
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Apache Subversion SVN, Autodesk AutoCAD, C In-demand technologies: C, C++

Related Careers

Related occupations to computer hardware engineers include:

• Computer Systems Analysts
• Software Developers
• Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
• Computer Systems Engineers/Architects
• Electrical Engineers
• Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

Also Known As

Analog Design Engineer, Analog IC Design Engineer (Analog Integrated Circuit Design Engineer), Application Specific Integrated Circuit Design Engineer (ASIC Design Engineer), Application Specific Integrated Circuit Design Verification Engineer (ASIC Design Verification Engineer), Computer Designer, Computer Engineer, Computer Hardware Designer, Computer Hardware Developer, Computer Hardware Engineer, Computer Installation Engineer, Computer Tester, Computer Vision Engineer, Design Engineer, Design Verification Engineer, Digital Design Engineer.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 17-2061.00