Computer systems engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a computer systems engineer. Computer systems engineers usually study computer science, electrical engineering, or business. 63% of computer systems engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 841 real computer systems engineer resumes to see exactly what computer systems engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for computer systems engineers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

There are certain computer systems engineer certifications that you should consider. These computer systems engineer certifications include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Security 5 Certification.

What education do you need to become a computer systems engineer?

What degree do you need to be a computer systems engineer?

The most common degree for computer systems engineers is bachelor's degree, with 63% of computer systems engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 13%.

Bachelor's, 63%

Associate, 18%

Master's, 13%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a computer systems engineer?

You should major in computer science to become a computer systems engineer. 21% of computer systems engineers major in computer science. Other common majors for a computer systems engineer include electrical engineering and business.

Computer Science, 21%

Electrical Engineering, 20%

Business, 9%

Computer Information Systems, 8%

Other Majors, 42%

Most common colleges for computer systems engineers

Computer systems engineers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Maryland - College Park, and National University. Here are the most common colleges for computer systems engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Computer systems engineer common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	8.89%
University of Maryland - College Park	8.89%
National University	6.67%
Purdue University	6.67%
DeVry University	5.56%

Show more common computer systems engineer colleges

Best majors for computer systems engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Science	20.8%
2	Electrical Engineering	19.5%
3	Business	9.1%
4	Computer Information Systems	8.1%
5	Computer Engineering	5.9%

Show more common computer systems engineer majors

Best colleges for computer systems engineers

The best colleges for computer systems engineers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

A computer 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 computer 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 computer systems engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,184

Enrollment

11,675

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

20 best online courses for computer systems engineers

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12. Active Directory on Windows Server

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13. Build Your Own Custom Computer!

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20. PowerShell for Active Directory Administrators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for computer systems engineers

The most affordable schools for computer systems engineers are California State University - Long Beach, california state university - bakersfield, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for computer 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 computer systems engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

9. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

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 computer systems engineers

The hardest universities for computer systems engineers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for computer 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 computer 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

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

6. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

8. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

9. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for computer systems engineers

The easiest schools for computer systems engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and pennsylvania state university - altoona.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a computer 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 computer systems 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 - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

4. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,072

5. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

6. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

7. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

8. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

9. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average computer systems engineer salary by education level

Computer systems engineers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $83,752 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, computer systems engineers earn a median annual income of $81,483 compared to $75,477 for computer systems engineers with an Associate degree.

Computer systems engineer education level	Computer systems engineer salary
Master's Degree	$83,752
High School Diploma or Less	$74,732
Bachelor's Degree	$81,483
Some College/ Associate Degree	$75,477

Computer systems engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Computer Systems Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical 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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