Mission systems engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a mission systems engineer. Mission systems engineers usually study electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or mechanical engineering. 73% of mission systems engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 118 real mission systems engineer resumes to see exactly what mission systems engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for mission systems engineers are the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

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

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

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

The most common degree for mission systems engineers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of mission systems engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 5%.

Bachelor's, 73%

Master's, 18%

Associate, 5%

Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 3%

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

You should major in electrical engineering to become a mission systems engineer. 24% of mission systems engineers major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a mission systems engineer include aerospace engineering and mechanical engineering.

Electrical Engineering, 24%

Aerospace Engineering, 16%

Mechanical Engineering, 7%

Mathematics, 7%

Other Majors, 46%

Most common colleges for mission systems engineers

Mission systems engineers often get their degrees at New Jersey Institute of Technology, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, and Colorado Technical University. Here are the most common colleges for mission systems engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Mission systems engineer common college	Percentages
New Jersey Institute of Technology	10.34%
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	10.34%
Colorado Technical University	6.90%
Northeastern University	6.90%
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs	6.90%

Show more common mission systems engineer colleges

Best majors for mission systems engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	24.4%
2	Aerospace Engineering	15.9%
3	Mechanical Engineering	7.3%
4	Mathematics	7.3%
5	Business	4.9%

Show more common mission systems engineer majors

Best colleges for mission systems engineers

The best colleges for mission systems engineers are California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A mission 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 mission 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 mission systems engineers.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

8. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

20 best online courses for mission systems engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for mission systems engineers

The most affordable schools for mission systems engineers are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for mission 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 mission systems engineers.

1. United States Merchant Marine Academy

Kings Point, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$1,080

Cost of attendance

6,646

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for mission systems engineers

The hardest universities for mission systems engineers to get into are California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for mission 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 mission 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. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

4. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

6. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

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

The easiest schools for mission systems engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and old dominion university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a mission 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 mission 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. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

4. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

5. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

6. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

7. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

8. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

9. The Citadel

Charleston, SC • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,129

10. Pennsylvania State University - Berks

Reading, PA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,107

Average mission systems engineer salary by education level

According to our data, mission systems engineers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $121,479 annually. Mission systems engineers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $112,794.

Mission systems engineer education level	Mission systems engineer salary
Master's Degree	$112,794
Bachelor's Degree	$103,633
Doctorate Degree	$121,479

Mission systems engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Mission 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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