Computer Hardware Engineer Career Guide

Computer Hardware Engineer

M-29

M Other Engineering jobs · Skilled level · O*NET 17-2061.00

Texas median whole occupation, 2025: $163,860
work over 40 h a week: 76%
load index from O*NET data: 1.3/5
Texas jobs 2024 to 2034: +17.4%

Pay

This level's pay

No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.

All pay records and context (3)

DOL prevailing-wage levels I-IV for the whole occupation (wage tiers set by DOL, not job titles or seniority): Level I $95,472 · Level II $140,225 · Level III $173,500 · Level IV $164,528 (95 filings, TX) Base wages offered on H-1B/E-3 Labor Condition Applications (TX and AZ, FY2026 Q1-Q3); covers only employers who filed. source
DOL prevailing-wage levels I-IV for the whole occupation (wage tiers set by DOL, not job titles or seniority): Level II $130,874 (4 filings, AZ) Base wages offered on H-1B/E-3 Labor Condition Applications (TX and AZ, FY2026 Q1-Q3); covers only employers who filed. source
State of Texas class salary ranges for this occupation (which class equals this rung is not published here): Engineer I $61,184 to $99,658 · Engineer II $65,104 to $106,634 · Engineer III $69,572 to $114,099 · Engineer IV $76,530 to $129,430 · Engineer V $84,182 to $142,374 · Engineer VI $92,600 to $156,612 Fiscal 2026-27 (Sept 1, 2025 - Aug 31, 2027) source

Whole occupation: all Computer Hardware Engineers, Texas
BLS OEWS May 2025
Series OEUS480000000000017206113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
Based on an estimated 7,390 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000017206101).

Half of all Computer Hardware Engineers in Texas earn more than $163,860; the bottom 10% earned less than $92,940 and the top 10% more than $216,260 (May 2025, base pay, about 7,390 jobs). U.S. median $161,740.

Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Computer Hardware Engineers, not level-specific
TWC, BLS
Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03

Texas: +17.4% jobs · about 230 openings a year (3,080 jobs in 2024)
United States: +7.3% jobs · about 4,700 openings a year (76,800 jobs in 2024)

Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.

Hours
ONET 31.0
Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), ONET Work Context, data 08/2021, n = 29 respondents, O*NET OnLine

About 3 in 4 work more than 40 hours a week (76%).

Schedule: regular 69% · irregular 28% · seasonal 3%

Physical load 1.3 of 5, our index from ONET
Method
Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (1.43, 6 measures) and an exposure index (1.25, 7 measures), built from ONET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
O*NET OnLine

Body

Standing2.07
Walking or running1.59
Bending or twisting1.32
Kneeling or crawling1.28
Keeping balance1.25
Climbing ladders1.07

Exposure

Hazardous conditions1.43
Outdoors, all weather1.37
Very hot or cold1.3
Cramped space1.26
Hazardous equipment1.21
Protective gear1.14
High places1.07

Body 1.43 · exposure 1.25. O*NET Work Context means, 1 = never, 5 = continually or every day.

Getting in

License: Texas PE license (TBPELS) is required for the practice of engineering as defined in Occ. Code 1001.003; whether this job needs it depends on the work.
Degree: 93% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: Bachelor's Degree
Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years of related experience is the most common answer (28% of workers).
O*NET
O*NET Related Work Experience, Computer Hardware Engineers, O*NET OnLine
Preparation: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Why this level: Skilled: O*NET Job Zone 4 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).

Moves to the side 6

M Electronic Design Engineer O*NET lists Electronics Engineers, Except Computer as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.93.
I4 MEMS Engineer O*NET lists Microsystems Engineers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.93.
I3 Controls Technician O*NET lists Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.82.
I Robotic Technician O*NET lists Robotics Technicians as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.79.

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What the work is 6 core tasks

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.

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.

Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.

Top skills

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Complex Problem Solving
Speaking
Writing
Active Learning
Judgment and Decision Making

Sources (4)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000017206113, read 2026-10-03
Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 17-2061.00 Computer Hardware Engineers, read 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license

Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.

Computer Hardware Engineer