Computer Hardware Engineers in California
Considering working as a Computer Hardware Engineers in California? Here’s what you need to know. 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 California?
For computer hardware engineers working in California, the typical annual salary is $179,880 per year (or about $86.48/hour).
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $117,180 | $56.34 |
| 25th percentile | $142,160 | $68.35 |
| Median (50th) | $179,880 | $86.48 |
| 75th percentile | $215,150 | $103.44 |
| 90th percentile | n/a | n/a |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California compared to the national average — is 2.73, meaning that computer hardware engineers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, computer hardware engineers earn a median of $63,909 per year ($30.73/hour), higher than the California median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 370,152 computer hardware engineers in the U.S.. In California alone, about 24,200 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 510 computer hardware engineers.
Top California Metros for Computer Hardware Engineers
The largest metro-area employers of computer hardware engineers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 9,320 | $197,090 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,090 | $172,920 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,200 | $169,230 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,160 | $140,890 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 330 | $82,060 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 320 | $131,440 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 190 | $126,010 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 160 | $164,970 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 80 | $162,960 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 40 | $164,620 |
Top States for Computer Hardware Engineers Employment
These states have the highest employment of 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
The highest-paying states for 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
Top 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
Other careers like 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
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