Ground systems engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a ground systems engineer. Ground systems engineers usually study electrical engineering, information technology, or electrical engineering technology. 62% of ground systems engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 175 real ground systems engineer resumes to see exactly what ground systems engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for ground systems engineers are the University of Central Florida and the University of Central Florida.

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

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

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

The most common degree for ground systems engineers is bachelor's degree, with 62% of ground systems engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 12%.

Bachelor's, 62%

Associate, 15%

Master's, 12%

High School Diploma, 6%

Other Degrees, 5%

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

You should major in electrical engineering to become a ground systems engineer. 20% of ground systems engineers major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a ground systems engineer include information technology and electrical engineering technology.

Electrical Engineering, 20%

Information Technology, 9%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 9%

Aerospace Engineering, 8%

Other Majors, 54%

Most common colleges for ground systems engineers

Ground systems engineers often get their degrees at University of Central Florida, University of Maryland - College Park, and University of Colorado at Boulder. Here are the most common colleges for ground systems engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Ground systems engineer common college	Percentages
University of Central Florida	9.30%
University of Maryland - College Park	9.30%
University of Colorado at Boulder	6.98%
University of Florida	6.98%
University of Alabama at Huntsville	6.98%

Show more common ground systems engineer colleges

Best majors for ground systems engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	19.8%
2	Information Technology	9.4%
3	Electrical Engineering Technology	9.4%
4	Aerospace Engineering	8.3%
5	Mechanical Engineering	7.3%

Show more common ground systems engineer majors

Best colleges for ground systems engineers

The best colleges for ground systems engineers are Northeastern University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A ground 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 ground 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 ground systems 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. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

4. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

5. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,785

Enrollment

7,711

6. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,184

Enrollment

11,675

7. Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$40,749

Enrollment

2,582

8. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

9. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

10. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$19,080

Enrollment

19,127

20 best online courses for ground systems engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for ground systems engineers

The most affordable schools for ground systems engineers are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and inter american university of puerto rico bayamon.

If the best universities for ground 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 ground systems engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Beckley, WV • Private

In-state tuition

$7,464

Cost of attendance

17,166

9. National University College - Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$6,675

Cost of attendance

12,941

10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for ground systems engineers

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

Some great schools for ground 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 ground 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

7. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

8. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

9. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

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 ground systems engineers

The easiest schools for ground 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 ground 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 ground 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. Pennsylvania State University - Berks

Reading, PA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,107

5. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

6. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,068

7. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

8. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

9. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average ground systems engineer salary by education level

Ground systems engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $118,583 annually. With a Master's degree, ground systems engineers earn a median annual income of $110,155 compared to $101,260 for ground systems engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Ground systems engineer education level	Ground systems engineer salary
Master's Degree	$110,155
Bachelor's Degree	$101,260
Doctorate Degree	$118,583

Ground systems engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Ground 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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