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Artificial intelligence specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an artificial intelligence specialist. Artificial intelligence specialists usually study computer engineering, computer science, or electrical engineering. 63% of artificial intelligence specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 47 real artificial intelligence specialist resumes to see exactly what artificial intelligence specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for artificial intelligence specialists are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online artificial intelligence specialist courses to help get the education required to be an artificial intelligence specialist.
What education do you need to become an artificial intelligence specialist?
What degree do you need to be an artificial intelligence specialist?
- Bachelor's, 63%
- Master's, 17%
- High School Diploma, 10%
- Associate, 7%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an artificial intelligence specialist?
- Computer Engineering, 19%
- Computer Science, 16%
- Other Majors, 50%
Most common colleges for artificial intelligence specialists
| Artificial intelligence specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 9.52% |
| University of Washington | 4.76% |
| New Mexico Highlands University | 4.76% |
| Midland College | 4.76% |
| Foothill College | 4.76% |
Best majors for artificial intelligence specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Engineering | 18.8% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 15.6% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 9.4% |
| 4 | Mechanical Engineering | 6.3% |
| 5 | Marketing | 6.3% |
Best colleges for artificial intelligence specialists
The best colleges for artificial intelligence specialists are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
An artificial intelligence specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for artificial intelligence specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become artificial intelligence specialists.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
8. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for artificial intelligence specialists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for artificial intelligence specialists
The most affordable schools for artificial intelligence specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for artificial intelligence specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for artificial intelligence specialists.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for artificial intelligence specialists
The hardest universities for artificial intelligence specialists to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for artificial intelligence specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for artificial intelligence specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for artificial intelligence specialists
The easiest schools for artificial intelligence specialists to get into are Barry University, cardinal stritch university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an artificial intelligence specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for artificial intelligence specialists.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
9. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average artificial intelligence specialist salary by education level
| Artificial intelligence specialist education level | Artificial intelligence specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $196,643 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $127,296 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $170,704 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $143,493 |
Artificial intelligence specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025