← All 785 jobsFile 17-2061
Computer Hardware Engineers
Heavily edited
AI already performs a large share of the work in this job. Even so, the BLS expects 9.1% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
- Rank
- #85 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +9.1% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $161,740 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 76,100 in the US, with about 4,100 openings a year
The work, 17 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
AI helps with this: Evaluate designs, specifications, or other technical data15%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 903 conversations, and it got them there 86% of the time.
AI does this: Advise others on products or services9%
AI performed this in about 1 in 42 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI does this: Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise7%
AI performed this in about 1 in 40 Copilot conversations and completed it 91% of the time.
AI does this: Communicate with others about specifications or project details6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 117 Copilot conversations and completed it 78% of the time.
Still yours: Design electrical or electronic systems or equipment6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Advise others on business or operational matters6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 290 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI helps with this: Test performance of equipment or systems6%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 1,100 conversations, and it got them there 92% of the time.
AI helps with this: Develop models of systems, processes, or products6%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 648 conversations, and it got them there 75% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
AI does this: Document technical designs, procedures, or activities6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 779 Copilot conversations and completed it 93% of the time.
Still yours: Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Select materials or equipment for operations or projects5%
AI performed this in about 1 in 529 Copilot conversations and completed it 94% of the time.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Train others on operational or work procedures4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 348 Copilot conversations and completed it 92% of the time.
AI does this: Advise others on the design or use of technologies4%
AI performed this in about 1 in 97 Copilot conversations and completed it 91% of the time.
Still yours: Monitor operations to ensure compliance with regulations or standards4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Develop technical specifications for products or operations3%
AI performed this in about 1 in 1,901 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Assemble equipment or components3%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 109 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 4,100 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 48% of the workElectronics Engineers39% AI does, against 50% here+3.7% by 2035 · $130,220 · Bachelor’s degree
- Shares 47% of the workAerospace Engineers24% AI does, against 50% here+8.3% by 2035 · $134,960 · Bachelor’s degree
- Shares 35% of the workSoftware Developers42% AI does, against 50% here+10.2% by 2035 · $135,980 · Bachelor’s degree
The wire
On the wire.
Nothing filed about this job yet. The latest from the Work front:
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.31, higher than 91% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 17-2061 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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