Defines the high-level design of processors and other chips, deciding how they compute, move data and balance speed, power and cost. Levels.fyi (NVIDIA company pages) puts typical pay at $424,566 a year (2026). BLS does not publish separate figures for computer hardware engineers; it counts them within computer hardware engineer (SOC 17-2061), whose median pay is $161,740 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2061
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Chip Architect in four numbers
- Median pay
- $161,740a year, or $77.76/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $93KTop 10% $225K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +9.1%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+9.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +9.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,10076,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202576.1K
- Projected 203583K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 76.1K Projected 2035 83K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Some college6.9%
- Bachelor's48.3%
- Master's34.5%
- Professional degree3.5%
- Doctorate6.9%
Highest education held by computer hardware engineers Segment Value Some college 6.9% Bachelor's 48.3% Master's 34.5% Professional degree 3.5% Doctorate 6.9%
Also advertised as: CPU Architect, GPU Architect, SoC Architect, Silicon Architect, Processor Architect.
Pay
How much do Computer Hardware Engineers make?
Industry-reported pay
$424,566
Average total compensation (base and stock) for NVIDIA hardware engineers at level IC5, US; high is the IC6 (principal) average. Self-reported, one employer; architects at other chipmakers often earn less.
- Top earners
- $546,182
Source: Levels.fyi (NVIDIA company pages), 2026 (estimate from several industry sources). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts computer hardware engineers within computer hardware engineer, whose pay is shown below. Levels.fyi: NVIDIA Hardware Engineer IC5 · Levels.fyi: NVIDIA Hardware Engineer IC6
Every chip architect in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$161,740
Middle half earn $126,090 to $202,990
- 10th
- $92,940
- 25th
- $126,090
- 75th
- $202,990
- 90th
- $225,330
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $92,940 |
| 25th | $126,090 |
| Median | $161,740 |
| 75th | $202,990 |
| 90th | $225,330 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $161,740
- Median hourly wage
- $77.76/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $162,670
- People employed
- 76,660
Versus all US occupations
At $161,740, Computer Hardware Engineers earn 217% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $110,760 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 55% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $225,330 or more while the bottom 10% earn $92,940, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 94% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($185,180), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $179,315 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Computer Hardware Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $185,180 | $167,251 | 19,820 |
| 2Washington | $169,120 | $158,037 | 1,800 |
| 3Massachusetts | $167,600 | $158,477 | 3,150 |
| 4New Mexico | $165,350 | $179,315 | 5,260 |
| 5Texas | $163,860 | $168,829 | 7,390 |
| 6New York | $163,470 | $151,472 | 3,020 |
| 7District of Columbia | $163,360 | $148,643 | 210 |
| 8Hawaii | $159,880 | $145,410 | 90 |
| 9Arizona | $158,280 | $157,216 | 3,110 |
| 10Colorado | $156,080 | $151,458 | 2,660 |
Job outlook
Is Chip Architect a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +9.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Computer Hardware Engineers | +9.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Computer Hardware Engineers to change 9.1% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.6× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 6,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,100 openings are projected each year, 5.4% of the 76,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Chip Architect
Most chip architects hold a master's degree or doctorate in electrical or computer engineering, with a focus on computer architecture. Coursework in digital design, microarchitecture and performance modeling is standard, and many publish at architecture conferences during graduate school.
Architects usually start as design, verification or performance engineers at a semiconductor company and move into architecture after years of experience. Strong programming skills for modeling, often in C++ or Python, and a deep understanding of how software uses hardware are essential. Industry groups such as the Semiconductor Industry Association track the field, and federal CHIPS programs are expanding US research and training.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as computer hardware engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree48.3%
- Master's Degree34.5%
- Some College Courses6.9%
- Doctoral Degree6.9%
- First Professional Degree3.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 48.3% |
| Master's Degree | 34.5% |
| Some College Courses | 6.9% |
| Doctoral Degree | 6.9% |
| First Professional Degree | 3.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Chip Architect do?
Chip architects decide what a new processor, graphics chip or AI accelerator will look like before anyone writes detailed hardware code. They set the big structure: how many cores, how caches and memory are organized, what instructions the chip supports, and how it connects to other chips. Every choice trades off performance, power, area and cost.
To make those calls, architects build performance models and simulators, study the software the chip will run, and analyze benchmark results. They write specifications that design and verification teams turn into silicon, and they work with software teams so compilers and drivers can take advantage of new features. A chip can take years from architecture to shipment, so architects plan several generations ahead.
Day-to-day tasks
- Define the microarchitecture of new processors or accelerators
- Build performance and power models to compare design options
- Analyze workloads and benchmarks to guide design choices
- Write architecture specifications for design teams
- Review design and verification progress against the specification
- Work with software teams on compiler and driver support
- Plan features for future chip generations
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Chip architects work at semiconductor companies, cloud and device makers that design their own chips, and AI hardware startups, concentrated in California, Texas, Oregon and other hubs. The work is desk-based with collaborative design reviews. Schedules follow multi-year product cycles with intense periods before design milestones.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Writing3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Active Learning3.8
- Mathematics3.3
- Monitoring3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
| Mathematics | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Operations Analysis3.4
- Systems Analysis3.4
- Systems Evaluation3.4
- Coordination3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.4 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.4 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Compiler and decompiler software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Chip Architect?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Computer Hardware Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Chip Architect |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.7
- Investigative5.7
- Conventional5.4
- Enterprising2.0
- Artistic1.8
- Social1.8
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Chip Architect
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Architecture and Engineering
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Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist and Technician
$78,190median a year
Most earn $50K to $116K
+2.4%Associate's - Architecture and Engineering
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More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with computer hardware engineers highlighted
- Chip Architect$161,740
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Chip Architect | $161,740 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Chip Architect appears on
Questions
Chip Architect: frequently asked questions
How much do Computer Hardware Engineers make?
Levels.fyi (NVIDIA company pages) reports $424,566 (average total compensation (base and stock) for NVIDIA hardware engineers at level IC5, US; high is the IC6 (principal) average. Self-reported, one employer; architects at other chipmakers often earn less, 2026), with top earners around $546,182. BLS does not publish a separate wage for computer hardware engineers. It counts them within computer hardware engineer, whose median pay is $161,740 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $126,090 and $202,990, and the top 10% earn $225,330 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Chip Architect?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Computer Hardware Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 48.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Chip Architect a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.1% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Chip Architect do?
Chip architects decide what a new processor, graphics chip or AI accelerator will look like before anyone writes detailed hardware code. A typical task: define the microarchitecture of new processors or accelerators. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Computer Hardware Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Computer Hardware Engineers are California ($185,180), Washington ($169,120), Massachusetts ($167,600) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $179,315.
What personality type suits a Chip Architect?
O*NET scores Computer Hardware Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.