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Computer designer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a computer designer. Computer designers usually study drafting and design, architecture, or mechanical engineering. 45% of computer designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 38% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,234 real computer designer resumes to see exactly what computer designer education sections show.
The most common colleges for computer designers are the Lamar University and the Lamar University.
There are also many online computer designer courses to help get the education required to be a computer designer.
What education do you need to become a computer designer?
What degree do you need to be a computer designer?
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Associate, 38%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a computer designer?
- Drafting And Design, 29%
- Architecture, 9%
- Graphic Design, 8%
- Other Majors, 45%
Most common colleges for computer designers
| Computer designer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Lamar University | 9.88% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.64% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.41% |
| University of Cincinnati | 7.41% |
| Fashion Institute of Technology | 6.17% |
Best majors for computer designers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drafting And Design | 28.8% |
| 2 | Architecture | 9.4% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 9.0% |
| 4 | Graphic Design | 7.5% |
| 5 | Mechanical Engineering Technology | 5.2% |
Best colleges for computer designers
The best colleges for computer designers are Cornell University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Yale University.
A computer designer 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 designers. 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 designers.
1. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
2. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
3. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
4. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
9. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
10. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
20 best online courses for computer designers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for computer designers
The most affordable schools for computer designers are Brigham Young University, fashion institute of technology, and florida international university.
If the best universities for computer designers 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 designers.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
2. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
6. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,310
Cost of attendance
19,807
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for computer designers
The hardest universities for computer designers to get into are Cornell University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Yale University.
Some great schools for computer designers 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 designers 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. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
3. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
7. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,347
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
10. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for computer designers
The easiest schools for computer designers to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, la roche college, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a computer designer 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 designers.
1. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
2. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Centenary University
Hackettstown, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
987
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
7. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
8. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
9. Lamar University
Beaumont, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,043
10. Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
79%
SAT average
1,075
Average computer designer salary by education level
| Computer designer education level | Computer designer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $75,898 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $69,425 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $59,266 |
Computer designer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025