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Chief systems engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a chief systems engineer. Chief systems engineers usually study electrical engineering, business, or computer science. 57% of chief systems engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 839 real chief systems engineer resumes to see exactly what chief systems engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for chief systems engineers are the American University and the American University.
There are also many online chief systems engineer courses to help get the education required to be a chief systems engineer.
There are certain chief systems engineer certifications that you should consider. These chief systems engineer certifications include Certified Information Systems Security Professional - Architecture (CISSP) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
What education do you need to become a chief systems engineer?
What degree do you need to be a chief systems engineer?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 14%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a chief systems engineer?
- Business, 13%
- Computer Science, 9%
- Other Majors, 47%
Most common colleges for chief systems engineers
| Chief systems engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| American University | 9.91% |
| University of Phoenix | 9.91% |
| Park University | 6.31% |
| Troy University | 5.41% |
| University of Arizona | 5.41% |
Best majors for chief systems engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Engineering | 22.8% |
| 2 | Business | 13.0% |
| 3 | Computer Science | 8.8% |
| 4 | Mechanical Engineering | 7.8% |
| 5 | Computer Information Systems | 5.6% |
Best colleges for chief systems engineers
The best colleges for chief systems engineers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A chief systems engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for chief systems engineers. 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 chief systems engineers.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Enrollment
2,120
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Lincoln, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$9,242
Enrollment
20,592
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
10. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
20 best online courses for chief systems engineers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for chief systems engineers
The most affordable schools for chief systems engineers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for chief systems engineers 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 chief systems engineers.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chief systems engineers
The hardest universities for chief systems engineers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for chief systems engineers 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 chief systems engineers 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for chief systems engineers
The easiest schools for chief systems engineers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, capitol technology university, and oregon institute of technology.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a chief systems engineer 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 chief systems engineers.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
3. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
9. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
10. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois
DuBois, PA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,079
Average chief systems engineer salary by education level
| Chief systems engineer education level | Chief systems engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $142,480 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $124,897 |
| Doctorate Degree | $159,514 |
Chief systems engineer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025