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The differences between hardware development engineers and design verification 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 hardware development engineer and a design verification engineer. Additionally, a hardware development engineer has an average salary of $119,370, which is higher than the $117,277 average annual salary of a design verification engineer.
The top three skills for a hardware development engineer include hardware development, analog and PCB. The most important skills for a design verification engineer are python, UVM, and design verification.
| Hardware Development Engineer | Design Verification Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $119,370 | $117,277 |
| Hourly rate | $57.39 | $56.38 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 100,593 | 65,429 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A hardware development engineer carries out an analysis of the requirements of a needed product and tries to develop a prototype, taking into consideration the cost and specifications. You're also expected to work on already existing products and seek ways to modify them. You will be in charge of your team members and oversee all they do. Some of the hardware you may be required to design and test includes microprocessors, routers, keyboards, circuit boards, etc.
A design verification engineer is responsible for running diagnostic tests on project outputs and adjusting methodologies as needed to achieve high-quality deliverables according to clients' specifications and business requirements. Design verification engineers create efficient techniques to improve products and services by utilizing various system tools and applications. They also design engineering protocols by analyzing previous test designs and calibrating them with the team. A design verification engineer must have excellent technical skills, as well as highly-communicative and organizational, especially on meeting deadlines and working under minimal supervision.
Hardware development engineers and design verification engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hardware Development Engineer | Design Verification Engineer | |
| Average salary | $119,370 | $117,277 |
| Salary range | Between $88,000 And $161,000 | Between $88,000 And $154,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a hardware development engineer and a design verification engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hardware Development Engineer | Design Verification Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between hardware development engineers' and design verification engineers' demographics:
| Hardware Development Engineer | Design Verification Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.2% Female, 12.8% | Male, 85.3% Female, 14.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 29.7% White, 50.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 39.9% White, 43.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |