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The differences between hardware design engineers and software engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a hardware design engineer, becoming a software engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hardware design engineer has an average salary of $106,135, which is higher than the $100,260 average annual salary of a software engineer.
The top three skills for a hardware design engineer include RF, PCB and analog. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Hardware Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $106,135 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $51.03 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 69,000 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A hardware design engineer is an individual who develops, improves, and test components and systems for computers and other devices. Hardware design engineers must develop and design hardware components, such as circuit boards, switches, and networking elements. They are required to examine technological specifications and functional requirements as well as design components and systems that will deliver the expected performance. Hardware design engineers are also involved with manufacturing hardware, and they work closely with software engineers and developers during the development cycle.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Hardware design engineers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hardware Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $106,135 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $139,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bothell, WA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a hardware design engineer and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hardware Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between hardware design engineers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Hardware Design Engineer | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.1% Female, 9.9% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 29.9% White, 50.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 8% |