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Electro optical engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an electro optical engineer. Electro optical engineers usually study electrical engineering, physics, or mechanical engineering. 64% of electro optical engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 196 real electro optical engineer resumes to see exactly what electro optical engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for electro optical engineers are the Stevens Institute of Technology and the Stevens Institute of Technology.
There are also many online electro optical engineer courses to help get the education required to be an electro optical engineer.
What education do you need to become an electro optical engineer?
What degree do you need to be an electro optical engineer?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 24%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 6%
What should I major in to become an electro optical engineer?
- Physics, 30%
- Engineering, 4%
- Other Majors, 24%
Most common colleges for electro optical engineers
| Electro optical engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Stevens Institute of Technology | 7.69% |
| University of Arizona | 7.69% |
| University of Central Florida | 7.69% |
| University of Connecticut | 5.77% |
| College of Central Florida | 5.77% |
Best majors for electro optical engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Engineering | 34.0% |
| 2 | Physics | 29.8% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 7.8% |
| 4 | Engineering | 4.3% |
| 5 | Engineering Physics | 3.5% |
Best colleges for electro optical engineers
The best colleges for electro optical engineers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
An electro optical 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 electro optical 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 electro optical engineers.
1. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Enrollment
24,841
9. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,785
Enrollment
7,711
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
20 best online courses for electro optical engineers
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5. Design of High-Performance Optical Systems
This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5602, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Optical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course extends what you have learned about first-order, paraxial system design and optical resolution and efficiency with the introduction to real lenses and their imperfections. We begin with a description of how...
6. Waves and Optics
This specialization is for learners who have completed a first-year university-level physics course and wants to continue their study. Through three courses, you will gain a foundation in waves and optics ranging from simple oscillators and waves in strings, to advanced diffraction effects of electromagnetic waves. With an entire semester of lectures and over 100 problems, this comprehensive specialization is similar in detail and rigor to what is taught in on-campus courses. It will thoroughly...
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9. Python Optical Character Recognition using Pytorch
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12. Computer Vision: Python OCR & Object Detection Quick Starter
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13. Modelling and simulation of mechanical systems
The course provides the principles of modelling and simulation of modern mechatronic systems, which are mechanical systems integrated with several types of sensors and actuators. The aim of the course is to show different methodologies to improve the potential of mechanical systems by transforming them into mechatronic systems based on virtual models. In particular, the lessons will be focused on case studies in three engineering fields: robotics, controlled electro-hydraulic actuators and...
14. Zemax/OpticStudio Fundamentals (non-sequential mode)
Complete Beginners Guide on How to Use Zemax/Optic Studio (non-sequential mode)...
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18. An Introduction to Machine Learning for Data Engineers
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19. Data Science:Data Mining & Natural Language Processing in R
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20. Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate - Preparation
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Top 10 most affordable universities for electro optical engineers
The most affordable schools for electro optical engineers are California State University - Long Beach, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for electro optical 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 electro optical engineers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for electro optical engineers
The hardest universities for electro optical engineers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for electro optical 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 electro optical 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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. Princeton University
Princeton, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,503
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for electro optical engineers
The easiest schools for electro optical engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and texas a&m; university - corpus christi.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an electro optical 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 electro optical 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. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
4. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona
Altoona, PA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,094
5. Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,072
6. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
9. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
10. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
Average electro optical engineer salary by education level
| Electro optical engineer education level | Electro optical engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $105,539 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $92,353 |
| Doctorate Degree | $118,335 |
Electro optical engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025