What Can You Do With a Computer Engineering Degree? Hardware, Software and Everything Between

If your teen likes taking electronics apart and also enjoys coding, computer engineering is worth a close look. It covers the full stack of a computing device: the circuits, the processor, the firmware that makes hardware run, and the software on top.

That breadth is the major's biggest strength. Graduates can work on semiconductors, consumer devices, cars, medical equipment, networks or software. Below we lay out the main jobs and pay, the honest state of the entry-level job market, and how computer engineering compares with computer science. If your student is leaning software-only, see computer science vs. software engineering.

What jobs can you get with a computer engineering degree?

Computer engineering grads work as hardware, embedded-systems, electronics and electrical engineers, and many become software developers, network architects or security analysts. BLS reports computer hardware engineers earned a median $161,740 and software developers $135,980 in May 2025; both typically need only a bachelor's degree to start.

Pay below is the national median (the middle wage) from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, the newest release. Our calculator and Continuum use a different series, so their numbers won't match exactly.

1. Computer Hardware Engineer

Designs and tests processors, circuit boards and memory devices. BLS: median $161,740 (middle half $126,090–$202,990). BLS says semiconductor and electronic component makers employ 24% of hardware engineers.

2. Embedded Systems Engineer

Writes the firmware that runs inside cars, medical devices, appliances and phones. It blends hardware and software and is a natural fit for this major; BLS counts many of these roles under hardware, electronics or software.

3. Software Developer

Builds applications and systems. BLS: median $135,980. Computer engineering grads compete well here, especially for systems-level roles.

4. Electronics Engineer

Designs electronic components and systems outside of computers. BLS (except computer): median $130,220.

5. Electrical Engineer

Works on power, controls and electrical systems. BLS: median $120,630.

6. Computer Network Architect

Designs data networks for companies and cloud providers. BLS: median $134,050; usually requires some experience first.

7. Information Security Analyst

Protects systems and hardware from attacks. BLS: median $129,180.

8. Computer Systems Analyst

Connects business needs with technology systems. BLS: median $105,850.

9. Computer and Information Systems Manager

Leads technology teams after years of experience. BLS: median $175,140.

How much do computer engineers make?

BLS reports medians of $161,740 for computer hardware engineers and $135,980 for software developers in May 2025. Hardware engineers' middle half earned $126,090–$202,990. NACE's Winter 2026 survey projected average starting salaries around $81,000 for both engineering and computer science bachelor's grads.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national estimates. The middle 50% is the 25th to 75th percentile. Pay varies by state, employer and experience.

Is computer engineering AI-proof?

No career is fully AI-proof, but computer engineering is better protected than many software-only paths. MajorMatch's AI-Proof Career Check rates computer hardware engineers at 52% task exposure versus 67% for software developers and QA. Designing and testing physical hardware keeps more work in human hands.

MajorMatch's AI-Proof Career Check (part of the assessment results) estimates what share of a job's tasks AI tools could significantly speed up or automate. It measures exposure, not a forecast of job loss. Computer Engineering scores 57% overall. AI coding assistants already speed up routine programming, which is part of why entry-level software hiring has cooled. Chip design, board bring-up, lab testing and debugging real devices are harder to hand to software alone, and AI itself runs on hardware that computer engineers build. Encourage your student to keep one foot in hardware through labs, internships and projects. For the bigger picture, see our guide to AI-proof college majors.

Computer engineering vs. computer science: what's the difference?

Computer science focuses on software, data structures and theory. Computer engineering adds electrical engineering: circuits, signals, digital logic and embedded systems. Computer engineering grads can still become software developers, but computer science grads rarely move into hardware design. That makes computer engineering the more flexible, though more demanding, choice.

Expect computer engineering coursework in calculus, physics, circuit analysis, digital logic, computer architecture, embedded systems and programming, with labs where students build working hardware. Programs accredited by ABET are the norm. If your student loves coding but has no interest in circuits, our computer science guide may be the better match.

Is computer engineering a good major?

Yes for most students who like both math and building things. Pay is among the highest of any bachelor's, and BLS projects 9% growth for hardware engineers. Be realistic about the entry market, though: New York Fed data show 7.8% unemployment for recent grads, so internships and projects matter more than ever.

The New York Fed tracks how computer engineering graduates actually fare, using Census survey data. Recent graduates (ages 22–27) had an unemployment rate of 7.8% and an underemployment rate of 15.8%, meaning that share worked in jobs that don't usually require a degree. Median pay was $90,000 early in their careers and $131,000 at mid-career (ages 35–45), and 39% of computer engineering bachelor's holders also have a graduate degree.

Underemployment is low, so graduates who land jobs usually use their degree, but the higher unemployment rate signals a crowded, slower entry market. Students who complete internships, co-ops or real hardware projects stand out.

MajorMatch's Computer Engineering Loan vs Upside calculator starts from Continuum wages of about $117,000 early-career and $162,000 mid-career. At its default $50,000 loan (6.5% for 10 years), total repayment is about $68,129, against an estimated lifetime earnings gain of about $3,373,098 over a high-school-only path, roughly 49.5 times the loan cost. It is an illustration you can adjust with your real net price, not a quote.

Is computer engineering the right major for your teen?

It fits students who enjoy math and physics, like to tinker with electronics and code, and are patient with debugging. Robotics clubs, Arduino or Raspberry Pi projects and AP Physics are great tests. Students who only want to write apps may prefer computer science; those who dislike calculus may struggle.

Compare it with electrical engineering and cybersecurity, then take the assessment to see where Computer Engineering ranks among your student's 100 majors.

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