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Computer architect education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a computer architect. Computer architects usually study computer science, information technology, or business. 71% of computer architects hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 90 real computer architect resumes to see exactly what computer architect education sections show.
The most common colleges for computer architects are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online computer architect courses to help get the education required to be a computer architect.
What education do you need to become a computer architect?
What degree do you need to be a computer architect?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 10%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a computer architect?
- Computer Science, 17%
- Business, 8%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for computer architects
| Computer architect common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 13.64% |
| New York University | 4.55% |
| Bryan College | 4.55% |
| Marshall University | 4.55% |
| Colorado School of Mines | 4.55% |
Best majors for computer architects
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 16.7% |
| 2 | Information Technology | 12.5% |
| 3 | Business | 8.3% |
| 4 | Computer Engineering | 8.3% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 6.3% |
Best colleges for computer architects
The best colleges for computer architects are University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Yale University.
A computer architect with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for computer architects. 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 computer architects.
1. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
7. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
10. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
20 best online courses for computer architects
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Top 10 most affordable universities for computer architects
The most affordable schools for computer architects are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for computer architects 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 computer architects.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
8. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
9. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for computer architects
The hardest universities for computer architects to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Yale University.
Some great schools for computer architects 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 computer architects 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for computer architects
The easiest schools for computer architects to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, oregon institute of technology, and capitol technology university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a computer architect 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 computer architects.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
3. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
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 computer architect salary by education level
| Computer architect education level | Computer architect salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $95,445 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $94,184 |
| Doctorate Degree | $93,870 |
Computer architect 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