Okay, let’s calculate Ken’s rate. He has a solid background in electronics engineering, with skills in FPGA design and development, which are in demand. His experience with programming languages like VHDL, Verilog, and Python, as well as tools like Altera Quartus, Xilinx Vivado, and Modelsim, adds to his value. Location in Naperville, IL, is a mid-tier market, which might affect his rate. Considering his skills and experience, I estimate his hourly rate to be around $125, which is slightly below the national average for electronics engineers in the US, but still competitive given his niche expertise.