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The differences between hardware development engineers and senior 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 hardware development engineer and a senior computer engineer. Additionally, a senior computer engineer has an average salary of $127,660, which is higher than the $119,370 average annual salary of a hardware development engineer.
The top three skills for a hardware development engineer include hardware development, analog and PCB. The most important skills for a senior computer engineer are C++, CAD, and infrastructure.
| Hardware Development Engineer | Senior Computer Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $119,370 | $127,660 |
| Hourly rate | $57.39 | $61.38 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 100,593 | 42,662 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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 senior computer engineer's main goal is to conduct research and design different types of computer hardware and software systems. They must know to manage servers and create automation in projects. They should also know how to resolve network issues and troubleshoot problems.
Hardware development engineers and senior computer engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hardware Development Engineer | Senior Computer Engineer | |
| Average salary | $119,370 | $127,660 |
| Salary range | Between $88,000 And $161,000 | Between $94,000 And $173,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a hardware development engineer and a senior computer engineer in terms of educational background:
| Hardware Development Engineer | Senior Computer Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between hardware development engineers' and senior computer engineers' demographics:
| Hardware Development Engineer | Senior Computer Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.2% Female, 12.8% | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% |
| 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, 7.1% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 29.7% White, 50.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |