Component design engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a component design engineer. Component design engineers usually study electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or computer engineering. 65% of component design engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 403 real component design engineer resumes to see exactly what component design engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for component design engineers are the Arizona State University and the Arizona State University.

There are also many online component design engineer courses to help get the education required to be a component design engineer.

What education do you need to become a component design engineer?

What degree do you need to be a component design engineer?

The most common degree for component design engineers is bachelor's degree, with 65% of component design engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 28% and master's degree degree at 4%.

Bachelor's, 65%

Master's, 28%

Associate, 4%

Doctorate, 2%

Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a component design engineer?

You should major in electrical engineering to become a component design engineer. 45% of component design engineers major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a component design engineer include mechanical engineering and computer engineering.

Electrical Engineering, 45%

Mechanical Engineering, 16%

Computer Engineering, 15%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 3%

Other Majors, 21%

Most common colleges for component design engineers

Component design engineers often get their degrees at Arizona State University, Purdue University, and Portland State University. Here are the most common colleges for component design engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Component design engineer common college	Percentages
Arizona State University	16.33%
Purdue University	8.16%
Portland State University	8.16%
University of Southern California	7.14%
University of California - Davis	6.12%

Show more common component design engineer colleges

Best majors for component design engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	45.5%
2	Mechanical Engineering	16.2%
3	Computer Engineering	14.8%
4	Electrical Engineering Technology	3.4%
5	Drafting And Design	3.0%

Show more common component design engineer majors

Best colleges for component design engineers

The best colleges for component design engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Institute of Technology.

A component design 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 component design 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 component design engineers.

1. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,646

Enrollment

5,736

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

8. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

9. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for component design engineers

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3. Digital Timing Basics for VLSI Interview & SoC Design

4.5

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A VLSI Course on Timing Concepts frequently used in Physical Design (Static Timing Analysis - STA), RTL & Circuit Design...

4. Verilog HDL Fundamentals for Digital Design and Verification

4.5

(479)

Build a strong Verilog language foundation by implementing combinational / sequential digital circuits and testbenches...

5. Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design and Manufacturing with Fusion 360

Design for manufacturing is the process of designing parts, components, or products with the understanding surrounding design requirements for a specific manufacturing method. This course explores the design for manufacture workflow and shows how to validate models and create the G code, the programming language needed to instruct the CNC machine on how to move. We practice the basics of part and assembly design, and tools such as animation, rendering, and simulations using Autodesk Fusion 360...

6. Fusion 360 for 3D Printing - Designing with Components

4.9

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7. Unreal Engine: Intro to Game Design

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8. Basics of Sheet metal design for Mechanical design engineers

4.3

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Learn Sheet metal design, processes and practical design considerations along with Design projects...

9. Reliability Engineering Statistics

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The Foundation in Probability and Statistics You Need to Understand Reliability Engineering...

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Learn fundamentals of creo parametric from scratch including part design,drawing,assembly...

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Verification of Common Peripherals, Memories, and Bus Protocol...

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4.5

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FPGA Based Design...

13. PG Diploma in Piping Design Engineering

4.2

(839)

Learn Piping Design Engineering...

14. Design Failure Mode Effect Analysis - Concepts & Practice

4.3

(578)

Learn about the fundamentals of preparing DFMEA for Mechanical design engineers...

15. Basics of Material selection for mechanical design engineers

4.4

(542)

Learn about the fundamentals of materials and their selection for mechanical engineering design for design engineers...

16. Complete Eagle CAD PCB Design: Theory and Practical approach

4.4

(270)

Complete PCB Design Course for Freshers & Professionals...

17. Graphic Design Mastery: The FULL Branding & Design Process

4.7

(1,014)

Follows the FULL Graphic Design Process for A Company: Logo, Ad, Social Media, T-Shirt, Package, Website Design & More!...

18. Learning SOLIDWORKS: For Students, Engineers, and Designers

4.4

(2,712)

For Basic and Intermediate Users...

19. VSD - Static Timing Analysis - II

(668)

VLSI - Analyse your chip timing for free...

20. STAAD Pro. - Structural Design of Steel Building (PEB)

4.5

(326)

Structural Analysis and Structural Design of Pre Engineered Building in Staad Pro with Real World Project...

Top 10 most affordable universities for component design engineers

The most affordable schools for component design engineers are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.

If the best universities for component design 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 component design engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Beckley, WV • Private

In-state tuition

$7,464

Cost of attendance

17,166

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for component design engineers

The hardest universities for component design engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for component design 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 component design 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for component design engineers

The easiest schools for component design engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and pennsylvania state university - berks.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a component design 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 component design engineers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Pennsylvania State University - Berks

Reading, PA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,107

4. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,068

5. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

7. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

10. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

Average component design engineer salary by education level

According to our data, component design engineers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $124,228 annually. Component design engineers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $112,662.

Component design engineer education level	Component design engineer salary
Master's Degree	$112,662
Bachelor's Degree	$100,405
Doctorate Degree	$124,228

Component design engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Component Design Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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