Another reason is that it can be expensive, and not just for the physical components. We generally need more of a lab than software developers. Test gear is essential for learning how your circuit is actually behaving, matching simulation to the real world. And it’s usually expensive.

I struggled with the cost of hardware development for years, and when someone donated me my first oscilloscope it was a big deal! Seeing the waveforms really helped me to advance my understanding and the complexity of the projects I could undertake.