Senior component engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior component engineer. Senior component engineers usually study electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering technology. 74% of senior component engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 314 real senior component engineer resumes to see exactly what senior component engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior component engineers are the San Jose State University and the San Jose State University.

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

What education do you need to become a senior component engineer?

What degree do you need to be a senior component engineer?

The most common degree for senior component engineers is bachelor's degree, with 74% of senior component engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 74%

Associate, 13%

Master's, 10%

Diploma, 1%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a senior component engineer?

You should major in electrical engineering to become a senior component engineer. 53% of senior component engineers major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a senior component engineer include mechanical engineering and electrical engineering technology.

Electrical Engineering, 53%

Mechanical Engineering, 8%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 6%

Physics, 6%

Other Majors, 27%

Most common colleges for senior component engineers

Senior component engineers often get their degrees at San Jose State University, Northeastern University, and Brigham Young University. Here are the most common colleges for senior component engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Senior component engineer common college	Percentages
San Jose State University	9.43%
Northeastern University	9.43%
Brigham Young University	7.55%
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus	5.66%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro	5.66%

Show more common senior component engineer colleges

Best majors for senior component engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	52.9%
2	Mechanical Engineering	8.1%
3	Electrical Engineering Technology	6.4%
4	Physics	6.4%
5	Business	3.5%

Show more common senior component engineer majors

Best colleges for senior component engineers

The best colleges for senior component engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Northeastern University.

A senior component 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 senior component 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 senior component engineers.

1. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

6. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

7. Clemson University

Clemson, SC • Private

In-state tuition

$15,374

Enrollment

19,564

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for senior component engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for senior component engineers

The most affordable schools for senior component engineers are United States Merchant Marine Academy, california state university - long beach, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.

If the best universities for senior component 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 senior component engineers.

1. United States Merchant Marine Academy

Kings Point, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$1,080

Cost of attendance

6,646

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

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 senior component engineers

The hardest universities for senior component engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for senior component 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 senior component 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

8. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior component engineers

The easiest schools for senior component engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, the university of texas at el paso, and saint cloud state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a senior component 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 senior component engineers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

3. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

4. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

6. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

7. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)

Lemont Furnace, PA • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,067

10. Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Buzzards Bay, MA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,127

Average senior component engineer salary by education level

Senior component engineers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $144,570 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, senior component engineers earn a median annual income of $128,729 compared to $108,200 for senior component engineers with an Associate degree.

Senior component engineer education level	Senior component engineer salary
Master's Degree	$144,570
Bachelor's Degree	$128,729
Some College/ Associate Degree	$108,200

Senior component engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Senior Component Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering 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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