Designs digital circuits that run on reprogrammable chips called FPGAs, used in radar, telecom, trading systems, medical imaging and space hardware. BLS does not publish separate figures for electronics engineers, except computer; it counts them within electronics engineer, except computer (SOC 17-2072), whose median pay is $130,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2072
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
FPGA Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $130,220a year, or $62.60/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $82KTop 10% $207K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,90098,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202598.2K
- Projected 2035101.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 98.2K Projected 2035 101.8K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's13.8%
- Bachelor's83.3%
- Master's2.9%
Highest education held by electronics engineers, except computer Segment Value Associate's 13.8% Bachelor's 83.3% Master's 2.9%
Also advertised as: FPGA Design Engineer, FPGA Developer, RTL Design Engineer, Digital Design Engineer, FPGA Firmware Engineer.
Pay
How much do Electronics Engineers, Except Computer make?
Every fpga engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$130,220
Middle half earn $101,680 to $167,670
- 10th
- $81,840
- 25th
- $101,680
- 75th
- $167,670
- 90th
- $206,960
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $81,840 |
| 25th | $101,680 |
| Median | $130,220 |
| 75th | $167,670 |
| 90th | $206,960 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $130,220
- Median hourly wage
- $62.60/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $137,280
- People employed
- 96,900
Versus all US occupations
At $130,220, Electronics Engineers, Except Computer earn 155% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $79,240 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 25% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $206,960 or more while the bottom 10% earn $81,840, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 88% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($160,520), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $148,560 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Electronics Engineers, Except Computer 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 | $160,520 | $144,978 | 20,830 |
| 2New Jersey | $158,730 | $145,885 | 1,820 |
| 3District of Columbia | $157,040 | $142,892 | 400 |
| 4Maryland | $155,650 | $148,296 | 3,390 |
| 5Massachusetts | $138,230 | $130,705 | 5,910 |
| 6New Mexico | $136,990 | $148,560 | 1,110 |
| 7Rhode Island | $136,360 | $133,320 | 970 |
| 8Texas | $132,220 | $136,229 | 9,520 |
| 9Washington | $130,270 | $121,733 | 1,950 |
| 10Illinois | $129,390 | $129,444 | 960 |
Job outlook
Is FPGA Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | +3.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Electronics Engineers, Except Computer to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,900 openings are projected each year, 5.0% of the 98,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a FPGA Engineer
A bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering is the standard requirement, with coursework in digital logic design, computer architecture and signal processing. Many FPGA engineers also earn a master's degree.
University lab courses using development boards from AMD (Xilinx) or Intel (Altera), senior design projects and internships at defense, telecom or semiconductor companies are the usual ways in. Defense and aerospace roles often require US citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance. IEEE membership gives access to conferences and standards such as IEEE 1800 SystemVerilog.
- 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 electronics engineers, except computer.
- Bachelor's Degree83.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree13.8%
- Master's Degree2.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 83.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 13.8% |
| Master's Degree | 2.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a FPGA Engineer do?
FPGA engineers design hardware using code. A field-programmable gate array is a chip whose internal logic can be rewired after manufacturing, so engineers describe circuits in hardware description languages such as VHDL or Verilog and load them onto the chip. FPGAs handle jobs that need extreme speed or parallelism: processing radar signals, encoding video, routing network traffic, running high-frequency trading logic or controlling satellite instruments.
The work includes writing register-transfer level designs, simulating them to prove they behave correctly, and meeting timing constraints so signals arrive on the right clock cycle. Engineers then test the design on real boards in the lab, often with logic analyzers and custom test equipment.
Day-to-day tasks
- Write digital designs in VHDL, Verilog or SystemVerilog
- Simulate designs with testbenches to verify behavior
- Meet timing constraints during synthesis and place and route
- Integrate interfaces such as high-speed serial links
- Bring up and debug designs on lab hardware
- Work with software teams on drivers and interfaces
- Document designs and test results
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
FPGA engineers work at defense and aerospace contractors, telecommunications firms, semiconductor companies, trading firms, medical imaging makers and research labs. Work combines desk time running simulations with lab time on hardware. Defense work may require on-site presence in secure facilities. Hours are regular, with crunch periods around hardware deliveries.
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 dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing 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
- Speaking3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Writing3.5
- Mathematics3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Learning3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.5 |
| Mathematics | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Systems Analysis3.8
- Systems Evaluation3.4
- Operations Analysis3.3
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.4 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.3 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| 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
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging 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
“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 FPGA Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Electronics Engineer, Except Computer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | FPGA Engineer |
|---|---|
| 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.
- Realistic6.2
- Investigative5.9
- Conventional4.8
- Artistic2.0
- Enterprising1.6
- Social1.6
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 FPGA Engineer
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More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with electronics engineers, except computer highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- FPGA Engineer$130,220
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| FPGA Engineer | $130,220 |
| 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 FPGA Engineer appears on
Questions
FPGA Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Electronics Engineers, Except Computer make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for electronics engineers, except computer. It counts them within electronics engineer, except computer, whose median pay is $130,220 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $101,680 and $167,670, and the top 10% earn $206,960 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a FPGA Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 83.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is FPGA Engineer a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a FPGA Engineer do?
FPGA engineers design hardware using code. A typical task: write digital designs in VHDL, Verilog or SystemVerilog. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Electronics Engineers, Except Computer the most?
The highest state medians for Electronics Engineers, Except Computer are California ($160,520), New Jersey ($158,730), District of Columbia ($157,040) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $148,560.
What personality type suits a FPGA Engineer?
O*NET scores Electronics Engineers, Except Computer 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 the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.