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Lead systems engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a lead systems engineer. Lead systems engineers usually study electrical engineering, computer science, or mechanical engineering. 66% of lead systems engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,388 real lead systems engineer resumes to see exactly what lead systems engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for lead systems engineers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online lead systems engineer courses to help get the education required to be a lead systems engineer.
There are certain lead systems engineer certifications that you should consider. These lead systems engineer certifications include Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
What education do you need to become a lead systems engineer?
What degree do you need to be a lead systems engineer?
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 10%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a lead systems engineer?
- Computer Science, 15%
- Business, 9%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for lead systems engineers
| Lead systems engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 11.39% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 9.11% |
| Purdue University | 6.58% |
| George Washington University, The | 5.82% |
| Strayer University | 5.06% |
Best majors for lead systems engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Engineering | 22.0% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 14.9% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 10.8% |
| 4 | Business | 8.8% |
| 5 | Computer Information Systems | 6.0% |
Best colleges for lead systems engineers
The best colleges for lead systems engineers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A lead 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 lead 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 lead 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 lead systems engineers
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19. Advanced Linux System Administration
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Top 10 most affordable universities for lead systems engineers
The most affordable schools for lead systems engineers are California State University - Long Beach, california state university - bakersfield, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for lead 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 lead 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 lead systems engineers
The hardest universities for lead systems engineers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for lead 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 lead 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
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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
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
7%
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
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for lead systems engineers
The easiest schools for lead 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 lead 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 lead 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 lead systems engineer salary by education level
| Lead systems engineer education level | Lead systems engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $132,540 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $116,525 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $128,491 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $117,838 |
Lead systems engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025