10 Top-Paying Computer Engineering Jobs

In today’s technology-driven economy, skilled computer engineers can command an impressive income, with many earning into the six-figure range. In fact, according to the tech career website OutstandingStar.com, the average annual salary of computer engineering professionals in June 2024 was $127,038, with entry-level salaries ranging from $75,000 to $96,000 a year.

Why Do Computer Engineers Earn So Much?

In short, it’s because they have valuable skills—and employers pay a premium for them. Though innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) are changing the market, human creativity, coding knowledge, and problem-solving and decision-making skills are still needed to excel in computer engineering. Many of these skills can be learned in a computer science or information technology degree program.

Learn more below about the top-earning computer engineering careers that you might land with an online computer science degree from WGU.

Software Engineer

Software engineers typically exercise both a technical and creative side in their work. They apply engineering principles to develop new computer software programs, design and run software applications, and test software to ensure quality. Oftentimes, they work with or manage programmers and developers as they write software code.

While some software engineers are self-taught, most gain their core IT skills by pursuing an education. A bachelor’s degree in information technology or software engineering can grant a firm understanding of data structures and artificial intelligence while improving skills in logic and computer theory.

Day-to-day responsibilities of a software engineer may include:

• Designing software systems according to users’ needs
• Recommending software upgrades to relevant stakeholders
• Developing software applications
• Creating models and diagrams of the software code needed for an application
• Performing software maintenance and testing
• Documenting software programs and applications for future reference

 Median Salary: $132,270 in May 2023

 Job Growth: 17% increase from 2023 to 2033

Business Intelligence Developer

Business intelligence (BI) developers help businesses and organizations make sense of their data. BI developers generate, organize, and maintain different kinds of data interfaces—including dashboards, visualizations, regular and impromptu reports, and querying tools—for users to access the information they need.

BI developers have a range of duties, including:

• Assessing feedback from end users
• Deploying AI interfaces to perform automated information analysis
• Developing and maintaining business intelligence tools
• Assisting in database design and data modeling
• Curating data reports
• Writing technical documentation related to business intelligence

Given the technical skills required for this job, most employers want candidates to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or another IT-related field. These degree programs often confer technical skills (like writing SQL code and creating user interfaces) that individuals need for a business intelligence development career.

Median Salary: $126,000

Job Growth: 17% increase from 2023 to 2033

Cloud Engineer

More than 60% of worldwide corporate data is stored in the cloud. Cloud engineers are the specialists that build, maintain, and optimize cloud infrastructures to help organizations thrive. These engineers design and implement software alongside programmers and developers, which requires strong teamwork, communication, and coding skills. As more companies shift to cloud-based solutions, cloud engineers migrate their resources to cloud applications.

The specific responsibilities of a cloud engineer include:

• Creating and integrating cloud-based applications
• Working with software and systems software engineers to design cloud applications
• Upgrading cloud-based systems
• Troubleshooting issues with cloud computing platforms
• Providing cloud support services to help organizations use applications in new ways
• Staying up to date on new developments in cloud applications

Median Salary: $91,409

Job Growth: 9% increase from 2023 to 2033

Data Engineer

Data engineers build the databases that house an organization’s data, ensuring that data is accessible when needed. They regularly work with data scientists and management analysts to understand a company’s data needs and create relevant strategies. To do this, data engineers must have a deep understanding of common scripting languages and be able to solve complex coding problems.

Individuals typically begin this career path with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software development, IT, or a related field. Experience with different programming languages like Python or Java may be required for certain data engineering roles.

Data engineers have a wide range of responsibilities. Below are some of the most common ones:

• Developing, testing, and maintaining data pipelines
• Ensuring that data pipeline architecture is aligned with businesses’ requirements
• Gathering data from different sources and organizing it in one place
• Creating algorithms to analyze and extract key data
• Writing automation scripts to handle repetitive tasks

Median Salary: $101,510 in May 2023

Job Growth: 9% increase from 2023 to 2033

Computer Vision Engineer

A computer vision engineer applies coding and machine learning skills to create programs that can see and interpret visual information. This usually involves collecting and transforming large data sets via machine learning systems for a specific purpose. Relevant data can come in various ways, such as through video feeds, digital signals, or analog images that become digitized. Self-driving cars, smartphone facial recognition, and Google’s image search feature are all examples of computer vision at work.

Much of a computer vision engineer’s job includes using machine learning systems to build solutions for their clients. Some of the tasks of computer vision engineers include:

• Developing, debugging, and deploying computer vision algorithms and hardware
• Creating automated vision algorithms for work with robots and autonomous hardware systems
• Gathering and optimizing analytics from computer vision algorithms to improve their performance
• Studying real-world machine learning problems and proposing appropriate solutions
• Recording technical documentation for computer vision systems
• Managing large- and small-scale computer vision projects

Due to the technical demands of this job, a strong educational background is essential. Computer vision engineers should hold at least a bachelor’s in computer science or an IT-related subject. They also need demonstrable skills in programming languages like Java, C++, or Python and experience with machine and deep learning libraries like TensorFlow and PyTorch.

Median Salary: $145,080 in May 2023

Job Growth: 26% increase from 2023 to 2033

Algorithm Engineer

The role of an algorithm engineer revolves around researching, writing, and testing algorithms to solve problems and achieve desired results. Ultimately, algorithm engineers work to improve the efficiency of AI systems and machine learning applications. This career is ideal for someone who enjoys working with specialized technology and who is an exceptional problem-solver and coder. Most algorithm engineers need at least a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science, or a related field. Some also choose to earn relevant IT certifications.

Common duties of algorithm engineers include:

• Creating algorithms for AI applications
• Testing algorithms for use in AI technology, software programs, and machine learning tools
• Presenting findings in user-friendly reports
• Researching potential algorithm improvements to further enhance algorithm efficiency
• Communicating with team members, other algorithm engineers, and clients

Median Salary: $121,500

Job Growth: 26% increase from 2023 to 2033

Machine Learning Engineer

A machine learning engineer designs, maintains, and upgrades AI systems. These engineers take algorithms created by data scientists and other engineers to build programs that enable machines to perform self-directed actions. Machine learning engineers also use programming frameworks to train algorithms to learn tasks and generate useful insights.

Most machine learning engineers collaborate with software engineering and data science teams to deploy programs and applications that power everything from customized social media news feeds to self-driving vehicles.

Everyday tasks of a machine learning engineer include:

• Researching and developing machine learning systems
• Parsing and analyzing appropriate data sets
• Performing statistical analyses
• Identifying and resolving programming bugs
• Documenting machine learning processes

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, or software engineering is often required for a machine learning engineering career, along with related certifications. A master’s degree can help professionals land a higher-level job or increase their earning potential.

Median Salary: $162,735 in February 2025

Job Growth: 26% increase from 2023 to 2033

Hardware Engineer

Hardware engineers create the physical components that make computers run. They research, develop, and test computer systems, processing units, memory, and more. Hardware engineers also identify problems in computer hardware, discover solutions, and explore the best ways to implement changes and improvements.

Below are typical day-to-day responsibilities of a hardware engineer:

• Designing computer hardware and components
• Overseeing manufacturing procedures
• Testing computer products
• Modifying designs as needed
• Guiding installation processes
• Updating existing computer equipment
•  Innovating ways to implement hardware

Entry-level hardware engineers often need a bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related subject. Relevant industry certifications may help engineers stand out to potential employers as they navigate the job market.

Median Salary: $138,080 in May 2023 

Job Growth: 7% increase from 2023 to 2033

Web Developer

Web developers help build web pages and applications in tandem with programmers and software engineers. Some web developers focus on building web assets that users interact with (front-end developers) while others write and edit the underlying code of those web assets (back-end developers). The developers that do both are known as full-stack developers.

Important web development tasks include the following:

• Determining the coding, design, and usability needs of websites and web apps
• Testing and evaluating website performance
• Researching programming languages and libraries
• Maintaining back-end servers and databases
• Working with designers to optimize user experience
• Engaging in user testing to improve web assets

Successful web developers acquire skills in visual design, programming, cross-team collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Software engineering, information technology, and computer science are the most common degrees that web developers earn.

Median Salary: $84,960 in May 2023

Job Growth: 8% increase from 2023 to 2033

 DevOps Engineer

A DevOps engineer—or a “development operations engineer”—is a well-rounded IT professional trained in software development, programming, quality assurance, and software management. DevOps engineers help streamline an organization’s software projects and infrastructure. It’s their goal to foster efficient communication across software teams and automate software processes for better efficiency.

These engineers often perform the following tasks:

• Maintaining and optimizing current software
• Ensuring high-quality and quick software delivery
• Monitoring the life cycle of software programs and applications
• Testing software performance and usability
• Communicating with other IT specialists and stakeholders
• Evaluating software security measures

In many cases, DevOps engineers play a multifunctional role and exercise a wide range of skills to do their job well. Some of the best degrees for DevOps engineers include software engineering, computer engineering, and computer science.

Median Salary: $128,725 in February 2025

Job Growth: 17% increase from 2023 to 2033

Where Do Computer Engineers Work?

Though well-known companies like Apple, Google, Tesla, Oracle, and Cisco are among the top employers of computer engineers, you can find a computer engineering job at nearly any organization in just about every industry. For example, healthcare companies, government agencies, academic institutions, and aerospace companies are just some places that need experienced computer engineers.

What’s Next?

If you’re ready for an in-demand computer engineering career that can offer a high earning potential and diverse job options, earning the right IT degree is the next step. Explore WGU’s online degree programs and find your fit today.