Hardware engineering requires extensive knowledge. Depending on the company and project, hardware engineers may have to do everything from market research to stress-testing a product before mass production. Given that, how much can a hardware engineer earn, and which companies pay the most?
According to levels.fyi, which crowdsources compensation data, the median total compensation for a hardware engineer stands at $188,000. That’s quite a bit more than the average technology professional salary, which the most recent Dice Tech Salary Report pegged at $111,348 (up 2.3 percent year-over-year).
As you might imagine, hardware engineer compensation can climb radically higher for those with the right mix of specialized skills and experience. The nature of your employer also plays a huge role in pay; for example, a deep-pocketed company like Meta or Apple can pay an extraordinary salary (along with a pile of stock options) in exchange for extraordinary work.
With that in mind, here’s the levels.fyi breakdown of the companies that pay hardware engineers the most:
The hardware engineering field is one of constant change; for example, the semiconductor industry is currently undergoing a seismic shift at the moment, with startups embracing new technologies to create chips for highly customized purposes. For anyone who wants to climb the hardware-engineering ranks, that means you must constantly adopt and master new skills.
If you’re interested in hardware engineering in a tech-industry context, you’ll need to be very good at math. Successful hardware engineers come from a number of degree pathways, including:
- Computer engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Computer science
- Information technology
Keep in mind that many employers’ job postings for hardware engineers ask for a bachelor’s degree, although some may require more advanced degrees (particularly if the job is highly specialized). Depending on the industry, some jobs will also ask for certifications such as a CHTE or CompTIA A+, which often ask for both technical knowledge and at least some experience.
If you’re just entering the industry and want to build up your experience levels, consider applying for an internship before angling for a junior position; that will teach you some of the fundamentals needed to succeed at a higher level.
