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Operating system designer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an operating system designer. Operating system designers usually study graphic design, drafting and design, or mechanical engineering. 60% of operating system designers hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 342 real operating system designer resumes to see exactly what operating system designer education sections show.

The most common colleges for operating system designers are the Northeastern University and the Northeastern University.

There are also many online operating system designer courses to help get the education required to be an operating system designer.

What education do you need to become an operating system designer?

What degree do you need to be an operating system designer?

The most common degree for operating system designers is bachelor's degree, with 60% of operating system designers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 30% and associate degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 60%
  • Associate, 30%
  • High School Diploma, 5%
  • Master's, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 0%

What should I major in to become an operating system designer?

You should major in graphic design to become an operating system designer. 18% of operating system designers major in graphic design. Other common majors for an operating system designer include drafting and design and mechanical engineering.

Most common colleges for operating system designers

Operating system designers often get their degrees at Northeastern University, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Drexel University. Here are the most common colleges for operating system designers in the US based on their resumes.
Operating system designer common collegePercentages
Northeastern University16.33%
Savannah College of Art and Design6.12%
Drexel University6.12%
Rochester Institute of Technology6.12%
University of Cincinnati6.12%

Best majors for operating system designers

Best colleges for operating system designers

The best colleges for operating system designers are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Pennsylvania.

An operating system designer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for operating system designers. 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 operating system designers.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

20 best online courses for operating system designers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for operating system designers

The most affordable schools for operating system designers are University of Florida, brigham young university, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for operating system designers 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 operating system designers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

10. Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$5,740

Cost of attendance

17,864

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for operating system designers

The hardest universities for operating system designers to get into are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for operating system designers 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 operating system designers 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for operating system designers

The easiest schools for operating system designers to get into are Notre Dame College, cardinal stritch university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an operating system designer 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 operating system designers.

1. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

2. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

5. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

6. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

7. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

8. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

9. Centenary University

Hackettstown, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

987

10. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

Average operating system designer salary by education level

Operating system designers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $75,445 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, operating system designers earn a median annual income of $66,086 compared to $56,099 for operating system designers with an Associate degree.
Operating system designer education levelOperating system designer salary
Master's Degree$75,445
Bachelor's Degree$66,086
Some College/ Associate Degree$56,099

Operating system designer 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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