Senior hardware engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior hardware engineer. Senior hardware engineers usually study electrical engineering, computer engineering, or electrical engineering technology. 67% of senior hardware engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,852 real senior hardware engineer resumes to see exactly what senior hardware engineer education sections show.

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

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

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

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

The most common degree for senior hardware engineers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of senior hardware engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 20% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 67%

Master's, 20%

Associate, 7%

Doctorate, 3%

Other Degrees, 3%

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

You should major in electrical engineering to become a senior hardware engineer. 63% of senior hardware engineers major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a senior hardware engineer include computer engineering and electrical engineering technology.

Electrical Engineering, 63%

Computer Engineering, 9%

Electrical Engineering Technology, 6%

Computer Science, 3%

Other Majors, 19%

Most common colleges for senior hardware engineers

Senior hardware engineers often get their degrees at San Jose State University, Northeastern University, and University of California - Davis. Here are the most common colleges for senior hardware engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Senior hardware engineer common college	Percentages
San Jose State University	9.91%
Northeastern University	9.91%
University of California - Davis	6.76%
Purdue University	6.31%
Pennsylvania State University	5.41%

Show more common senior hardware engineer colleges

Best majors for senior hardware engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	63.1%
2	Computer Engineering	8.8%
3	Electrical Engineering Technology	6.5%
4	Computer Science	3.3%
5	Engineering	3.0%

Show more common senior hardware engineer majors

Best colleges for senior hardware engineers

The best colleges for senior hardware engineers are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Vanderbilt University.

A senior hardware 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 hardware 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 hardware 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. 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. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

7. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,785

Enrollment

7,711

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. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

20 best online courses for senior hardware engineers

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1. Hardware Security

In this course, we will study security and trust from the hardware perspective. Upon completing the course, students will understand the vulnerabilities in current digital system design flow and the physical attacks to these systems. They will learn that security starts from hardware design and be familiar with the tools and skills to build secure and trusted hardware...

2. Computer Hardware and Software

This course provides foundational understanding of how computers process information through hardware and software. You will investigate the world of Information Technology (IT) and survey hardware components, mobile devices, operating systems, programs and apps, network fundamentals, the Internet, and touch on security and ethics...

3. Verilog HDL: VLSI Hardware Design Comprehensive Masterclass

4.3

(1,906)

From an expert with 15+ years experience. Core Design principles for VLSI, Soc, Processor and FPGA. VHDL alternative...

4. Verilog for an FPGA Engineer with Xilinx Vivado Design Suite

4.5

(937)

Using Xilinx FPGA's...

5. Embedded Hardware and Operating Systems

This course is intended for the Bachelor and Master's students, who like practical programming and making IoTs applications! In this course, we will talk about two components of a cyber-physical system, namely hardware and operating systems. After completing this course, you will have knowledge of both hardware components and operating systems. You are able to plan and use embedded operating systems in resource-constraint devices for Internet-of-Things (cyber-physical system) applications. In...

6. Complete Eagle CAD PCB Design: Theory and Practical approach

4.4

(270)

Complete PCB Design Course for Freshers & Professionals...

7. Computer Hardware, Operating System and Networking

4.1

(314)

For Any Graduates/Engineering/Diploma/Arts & Science/Freshers/Home Users/Individuals/Desktop Support/FM/Service Engineer...

8. The Complete Electronics Course 2022: Analog Hardware Design

4.5

(2,580)

Over 30.000+ enrolled! Learn Electronics from Zero To An Advanced Understanding of How Circuits Work !...

9. Arduino: Electronics circuit, PCB Design & IOT Programming

4.8

(519)

Industrial Datalogger, Electronics circuit design, Embedded System, Eagle PCB Design, Arduino Programming and IOT system...

10. Complete Electronics Hardware Design Course 2022 -EsteemPCB

4.2

(916)

Complex Mixed Signal Board Design Course (Ethernet PHY, STM32F407, STM32F103, CH340C, DAC/MIC, 24Bit ADC, 36W Drivers)...

11. PCB Design using OrCAD/Allegro from Basics to Expert level

4.4

(480)

Learn Or CAD/Allegro PCB Design: Schematic (Or CAD Capture), Footprint's (Package Editor) & Board Design(PCB Editor)...

12. High-Speed Board Design Course System On Module -EsteemPCB

4.4

(589)

Advanced Hardware Design Course of SOM (RK3399, LPDDR4 SDRAM, WIFI/BT Module, EMMC, PMIC, 260 Pin DDR4 System on Module)...

13. Verilog HDL Fundamentals for Digital Design and Verification

4.5

(479)

Build a strong Verilog language foundation by implementing combinational / sequential digital circuits and testbenches...

14. Learn to Design Your Own Boards

4.5

(2,697)

Design a board in 15 hours. Step-by-Step tutorial based on Arduino project (Altium)...

15. Introduction to VHDL for FPGA and ASIC design

4.6

(507)

From VHDL basics to sophisticated testbench coding...

16. ESD - An Analog Design Viewpoint

4.5

(482)

How to apply ESD protection to analog/mixed signal ICs...

17. CMOS Analog Circuit Design

4.4

(768)

By Prof. Phillip E Allen...

18. Designing PCB using Autodesk Eagle for Everyone!

4.5

(339)

in this course you will learn step by step how to use and design your own PCB using the latest version of Autodesk EAGLE...

19. System Design using Verilog

4.5

(413)

FPGA Based Design...

20. Hardware Asset Management in ServiceNow

4.5

(1,635)

The perfect course for managing Hardware Assets in Service Now! Unlock the full benefits of IT Asset Management (ITAM)!...

Top 10 most affordable universities for senior hardware engineers

The most affordable schools for senior hardware engineers are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for senior hardware 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 hardware engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

6. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Beckley, WV • Private

In-state tuition

$7,464

Cost of attendance

17,166

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 senior hardware engineers

The hardest universities for senior hardware engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for senior hardware 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 hardware 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

6. Princeton University

Princeton, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,503

7. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

9. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

10. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

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

The easiest schools for senior hardware engineers to get into are Capitol Technology University, oregon institute of technology, and south dakota state university.

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

1. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

3. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

4. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

5. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

6. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

7. Suffolk University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

8. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

9. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

10. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

Average senior hardware engineer salary by education level

According to our data, senior hardware engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $123,034 annually. Senior hardware engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $114,178.

Senior hardware engineer education level	Senior hardware engineer salary
Master's Degree	$123,034
Bachelor's Degree	$114,178

Senior hardware engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Senior Hardware 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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