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Principal systems engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a principal systems engineer. Principal systems engineers usually study electrical engineering, computer science, or mechanical engineering. 66% of principal systems engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,196 real principal systems engineer resumes to see exactly what principal systems engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for principal systems engineers are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.
There are also many online principal systems engineer courses to help get the education required to be a principal systems engineer.
There are certain principal systems engineer certifications that you should consider. These principal systems engineer certifications include Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
What education do you need to become a principal systems engineer?
What degree do you need to be a principal systems engineer?
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Master's, 22%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a principal systems engineer?
- Computer Science, 14%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 39%
Most common colleges for principal systems engineers
| Principal systems engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | 11.84% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.57% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.91% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 6.58% |
| Arizona State University | 5.59% |
Best majors for principal systems engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Engineering | 31.8% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 13.8% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 7.6% |
| 4 | Business | 6.6% |
| 5 | Computer Engineering | 5.1% |
Best colleges for principal systems engineers
The best colleges for principal systems engineers are Northeastern University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
A principal 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 principal 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 principal 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 principal systems engineers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for principal systems engineers
The most affordable schools for principal systems engineers are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and inter american university of puerto rico bayamon.
If the best universities for principal 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 principal 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 principal systems engineers
The hardest universities for principal systems engineers to get into are Northeastern University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for principal 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 principal 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
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
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
6%
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 principal systems engineers
The easiest schools for principal 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 principal 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 principal 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 principal systems engineer salary by education level
| Principal systems engineer education level | Principal systems engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $148,977 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $129,326 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $143,985 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $130,928 |
Principal systems engineer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025