Hardware Engineers

High School

High school computer and electronics classes and programming courses give a good head start in this career. You should also take math and physics, as well as speech and writing courses so that you will be able to communicate effectively with coworkers and clients.

Postsecondary Training

Hardware engineers need at least a bachelor's degree in computer engineering or electrical engineering, with some additional course work in computer programming. Employment in research laboratories or academic institutions might require a master's or Ph.D. in computer science or engineering. For a list of accredited four-year computer engineering programs, contact ABET (http://www.abet.org).

College studies might include such computer science courses as computer architecture, systems design, chip design, microprocessor design, and network architecture, in addition to a heavy concentration of math and science classes.

Some large companies may require applicants to have a master's degree in computer engineering. Experienced engineers who plan to advance to managerial positions may decide a earn a master’s degree in business administration to improve their managerial and business skills.

Other Education or Training

Staying up to date with industry developments is key to success as a hardware engineer. Professional associations often provide continuing education opportunities. For example, student and professional members of the Association for Computing Machinery can access online computing and business courses via the association’s Learning Center. Visit http://learning.acm.org for more information. The IEEE Computer Society offers career planning webinars and continuing education courses to its members. Visit https://www.computer.org/education.