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Firmware test engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a firmware test engineer. Firmware test engineers usually study computer science, electrical engineering, or computer engineering. 75% of firmware test engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 165 real firmware test engineer resumes to see exactly what firmware test engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for firmware test engineers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

What education do you need to become a firmware test engineer?

What degree do you need to be a firmware test engineer?

The most common degree for firmware test engineers is bachelor's degree, with 75% of firmware test engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 75%
  • Master's, 11%
  • Associate, 11%
  • Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a firmware test engineer?

You should major in computer science to become a firmware test engineer. 28% of firmware test engineers major in computer science. Other common majors for a firmware test engineer include electrical engineering and computer engineering.

Most common colleges for firmware test engineers

Firmware test engineers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of California, Santa Barbara, and University of Idaho. Here are the most common colleges for firmware test engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Firmware test engineer common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix11.63%
University of California, Santa Barbara6.98%
University of Idaho6.98%
University of Colorado at Boulder4.65%
Clark College4.65%

Best majors for firmware test engineers

Best colleges for firmware test engineers

The best colleges for firmware test engineers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

A firmware test 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 firmware test 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 firmware test engineers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for firmware test engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for firmware test engineers

The most affordable schools for firmware test engineers are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for firmware test 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 firmware test engineers.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. 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

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

10. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for firmware test engineers

The hardest universities for firmware test engineers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for firmware test 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 firmware test 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

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for firmware test engineers

The easiest schools for firmware test engineers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, capitol technology university, and barry university.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

5. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

6. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

7. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

8. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

9. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average firmware test engineer salary by education level

Firmware test engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $97,595 annually. With a Master's degree, firmware test engineers earn a median annual income of $97,114 compared to $88,323 for firmware test engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
Firmware test engineer education levelFirmware test engineer salary
Master's Degree$97,114
Bachelor's Degree$88,323
Doctorate Degree$97,595
Some College/ Associate Degree$75,650

Firmware test engineer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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