Computer Hardware Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer: Which Field Is Better?

Dimension	Computer Hardware Engineer	Mechanical Engineer
Median pay	$155,020	$102,320
Projected growth (2024–34)	7.3%	9.1%
Annual openings	4,700	18,100
2024 employment	76,800	293,100
2034 projected employment	82,400	319,600
Self-employed share	1.1%	1.2%
Typical entry education	Bachelor's degree	Bachelor's degree
Related work experience	None	None
On-the-job training	None	None

Dimension

Computer Hardware Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

Median pay

$155,020

$102,320

Projected growth (2024–34)

7.3%

9.1%

Annual openings

4,700

18,100

2024 employment

76,800

293,100

2034 projected employment

82,400

319,600

Self-employed share

1.1%

1.2%

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Computer Hardware Engineer: main tradeoff

Very high pay and semiconductor/AI infrastructure tailwinds, but a much smaller labor market than software.

Mechanical Engineer: main tradeoff

Solid pay and broad industry optionality, with automation itself creating demand for engineers who integrate increasingly complex equipment.

Which should you choose?

Computer Hardware Engineer has the higher national median pay in the BLS data. Mechanical Engineer has the higher projected 2024–2034 growth rate. The larger decision is whether you prefer the training path, work style, and occupation-specific tradeoffs of Computer Hardware Engineer or Mechanical Engineer.