Hardware manager vs hardware test engineer

The differences between hardware managers and hardware test 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 manager and a hardware test engineer. Additionally, a hardware manager has an average salary of $140,910, which is higher than the $108,602 average annual salary of a hardware test engineer.

The top three skills for a hardware manager include RF, customer service and product knowledge. The most important skills for a hardware test engineer are python, test equipment, and C++.

Hardware manager vs hardware test engineer overview

	Hardware Manager	Hardware Test Engineer
Yearly salary	$140,910	$108,602
Hourly rate	$67.75	$52.21
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	4,200	77,022
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

Hardware manager vs hardware test engineer salary

Hardware managers and hardware test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hardware Manager	Hardware Test Engineer
Average salary	$140,910	$108,602
Salary range	Between $95,000 And $208,000	Between $82,000 And $142,000
Highest paying City	Seattle, WA	Bellevue, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	Palo Alto Networks	Meta
Best paying industry	Retail	Automotive

Differences between hardware manager and hardware test engineer education

There are a few differences between a hardware manager and a hardware test engineer in terms of educational background:

	Hardware Manager	Hardware Test Engineer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Business	Electrical Engineering
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Northeastern University

Hardware manager vs hardware test engineer demographics

Here are the differences between hardware managers' and hardware test engineers' demographics:

	Hardware Manager	Hardware Test Engineer
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 80.4% Female, 19.6%	Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 23.2% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 30.6% White, 50.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between hardware manager and hardware test engineer duties and responsibilities

Hardware manager example responsibilities.

Manage employees and run cash registers.
Manage multiple PCB builds from initial protos to A0 and to production.
Manage a team that develop the XGEM Capture/Replay feature for 10G Ethernet.
Result achieve by reusing existing power and cables while installing new EMC DMX3 units.
Manage the regulatory approval process for all products including FCC, UL and CE.
Manage all endpoint moves adds and changes including PC's, phones, and mobile devices.

Hardware test engineer example responsibilities.

Enter and manage BOM in database for same cards.
Generate synthesis reports and automate simulation using Perl scripts.
Create python base programs to test release firmware and data recovery tools for data analysis.
Support hardware and firmware engineers with cable and test jig assembly and PCB repairs.
Develop test cases using selenium to integrate hardware and web services so automation are possible.
Conform to ISO manufacturing standards and work instructions.

Hardware manager vs hardware test engineer skills

Common hardware manager skills

RF, 13%
Customer Service, 13%
Product Knowledge, 10%
CAD, 6%
Design Reviews, 5%
Direct Reports, 5%

Common hardware test engineer skills

Python, 11%
Test Equipment, 7%
C++, 6%
Troubleshoot, 5%
RF, 4%
Data Analysis, 4%

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Hardware Manager vs Hardware Test Engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

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