How to Become a Computer Hardware Engineer in South Carolina: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median computer hardware engineer salary in South Carolina is $125,110 per year - 23% below the national median of $161,740 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: ABET-accredited bachelor’s in computer or electrical engineering.
How to Become a Computer Hardware Engineer in South Carolina
1. Earn an ABET-accredited bachelor’s
Computer engineering or electrical engineering with a hardware focus.
2. Build bench-to-design skills
HDL (Verilog/VHDL), PCB design tools, and embedded C round out field experience.
3. Start in test, validation, or embedded roles
Hardware validation is the classic bridge role for technicians moving into engineering.
4. Specialize
Chip design, embedded systems, networking hardware, or hardware security.
5. Advance
Senior/staff hardware engineer or engineering management.
Requirements in South Carolina
The education path is national - ABET-accredited bachelor’s in computer or electrical engineering. There is no occupational license for computer hardware engineers in most states, including South Carolina. Confirm employer or role-specific certifications before you enroll, as details change.
Computer Hardware Engineer Salary in South Carolina
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| South Carolina entry level (10th percentile) | $74,990 |
| South Carolina 25th-75th percentile | $102,540 - $139,930 |
| South Carolina median | $125,110 |
| South Carolina top earners (90th percentile) | $171,540 |
| U.S. median | $161,740 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 690.
The South Carolina Job Market: Computer Hardware Engineer
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in South Carolina | 690 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 0.30 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 0.61 |
| Mean annual wage in South Carolina | $124,320 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 0.61, South Carolina employs computer hardware engineers at a lower concentration than the national average; expect fewer openings per capita and weigh relocation or remote-friendly specialties.
Salary Nationwide
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $92,940 |
| 25th | $126,090 |
| 50th (median) | $161,740 |
| 75th | $202,990 |
| 90th | $225,330 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 76,800 |
| 2034 projected | 82,400 |
| Percent change | +7.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a computer hardware engineer make in South Carolina?
The median annual wage for computer hardware engineers in South Carolina is $125,110 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 23% below the national median of $161,740.
How to become a computer hardware engineer in South Carolina?
The core path is the same nationwide - ABET-accredited bachelor's in computer or electrical engineering. There is no occupational license for computer hardware engineers in most states, including South Carolina. Confirm employer or role-specific certifications. See the steps on this page.
How many computer hardware engineers work in South Carolina?
BLS counts about 690 computer hardware engineers employed in South Carolina (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Computer Hardware Engineer in Nearby States
- Computer Hardware Engineer in Oklahoma
- Computer Hardware Engineer in Rhode Island
- Computer Hardware Engineer in South Dakota
- Computer Hardware Engineer in Tennessee
Related
- How to Become a Computer Hardware Engineer (national guide)
- All Trade Careers That Require a 4-Year Degree
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Computer Hardware Engineers (SOC 17-2061), South Carolina and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |