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The differences between computer hardware designers and computer engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a computer hardware designer and a computer engineer. Additionally, a computer hardware designer has an average salary of $134,713, which is higher than the $96,805 average annual salary of a computer engineer.
The top three skills for a computer hardware designer include CAD, PCB and FPGA. The most important skills for a computer engineer are python, software development, and java.
| Computer Hardware Designer | Computer Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $134,713 | $96,805 |
| Hourly rate | $64.77 | $46.54 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 59,580 | 126,709 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Computer hardware designers and computer engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Hardware Designer | Computer Engineer | |
| Average salary | $134,713 | $96,805 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $189,000 | Between $70,000 And $132,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Waymo |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a computer hardware designer and a computer engineer in terms of educational background:
| Computer Hardware Designer | Computer Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between computer hardware designers' and computer engineers' demographics:
| Computer Hardware Designer | Computer Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.3% Female, 20.7% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 30.0% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 15.0% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 11% |