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Software Development - Computer Hardware Engineers
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  10. Software Development - Software Developers
  11. Software Development - Computer Hardware Engineers
  12. Software Development - Computer Occupations, All Other

Computer Hardware Engineers

What They Do:

  • Design and develop computer hardware and support peripherals, including central processing units (CPUs), support logic, microprocessors, custom integrated circuits, and printers and disk drives.
  • Confer with engineering staff and consult specifications to evaluate interface between hardware and software and operational and performance requirements of overall system.
  • Build, test, and modify product prototypes, using working models or theoretical models constructed with computer simulation.
  • Write detailed functional specifications that document the hardware development process and support hardware introduction.

Source: O*Net 2025

Sample Job Titles:

  1. Design Engineer
  2. Engineer
  3. Field Service Engineer
  4. Hardware Design Engineer
  5. Hardware Engineer

Source: O*Net 2025

Outlook in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

Employment (Q2 2025) 886
Projected Annual Growth 1.2%
Average Entry Level Salary $96,321
Median Salary $152,106

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Supply-Demand Snapshot: Computer Hardware Engineers (all levels)
Entry Level Job Ads
95
Current Workforce
886

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Preferred Certifications

(Entry level jobs requiring a high school diploma, Associate’s degree, and Bachelor's degree)

  • Top Secret-Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI Clearance)
  • Secret Clearance
  • Security Clearance

Top 10 Skills Requested

(entry level jobs requiring up through a bachelor’s degree)

  • Computer Engineering
  • Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
  • HArdware Architecture
  • Computer Science
  • Systems Engineering
  • VHSIC Hardware Description LAnguage (VHDL)
  • Radio Freqnecy
  • Test Engineering
  • Verilog

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Outlook in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MSA MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

Employment (Q2 2025) 2,191
Projected Annual Growth -0.1%
Average Entry Level Salary $95,682
Median Salary $152,960

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Supply-Demand Snapshot: Computer Hardware Engineers (all levels)
Entry Level Job Ads
187
Current Workforce
2,191

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Preferred Certifications

(Entry level jobs requiring a high school diploma, Associate’s degree, and Bachelor's degree)

  • Secret Clearance
  • Top Secret-Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI Clearance)
  • Security Clearance
  • Top Secret Clearance

Top 10 Skills Requested

(entry level jobs requiring up through a bachelor’s degree)

  • Hardware Architecture
  • Computer Science
  • Systems Engineering
  • Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
  • Simulations
  • Computer Engineering
  • Oscilloscope
  • Python (Programming Language)
  • Firmware

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Outlook in the Richmond, VA MSA MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area)

Employment (Q2 2025) 101
Projected Annual Growth 0.0%
Average Entry Level Salary $76,369
Median Salary $122,404

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Supply-Demand Snapshot: Computer Hardware Engineers (all levels)
Entry Level Job Ads
3
Current Workforce
101

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Preferred Certifications

(Entry level jobs requiring a high school diploma, Associate’s degree, and Bachelor's degree)

Top 10 Skills Requested

(entry level jobs requiring up through a bachelor’s degree)

  • Project Management
  • AutoCAD
  • Electric Power Systems
  • Export Control
  • High Voltage
  • Electrical Systems
  • Automation
  • Procurement
  • Chemistry

Source: Lightcast. Datarun 2025.4

Largest Employers in the Region:

  1. Amazon
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