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Senior information systems engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior information systems engineer. Senior information systems engineers usually study computer science, electrical engineering, or business. 64% of senior information systems engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 436 real senior information systems engineer resumes to see exactly what senior information systems engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior information systems engineers are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.

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

There are certain senior information systems engineer certifications that you should consider. These senior information systems engineer certifications include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional - Architecture (CISSP).

What education do you need to become a senior information systems engineer?

What degree do you need to be a senior information systems engineer?

The most common degree for senior information systems engineers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of senior information systems engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 16%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Associate, 17%
  • Master's, 16%
  • Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a senior information systems engineer?

You should major in computer science to become a senior information systems engineer. 20% of senior information systems engineers major in computer science. Other common majors for a senior information systems engineer include electrical engineering and business.

Most common colleges for senior information systems engineers

Senior information systems engineers often get their degrees at University of Maryland - College Park, Strayer University, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for senior information systems engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Senior information systems engineer common collegePercentages
University of Maryland - College Park14.67%
Strayer University13.33%
University of Phoenix10.67%
George Mason University9.33%
Old Dominion University6.67%

Best majors for senior information systems engineers

Best colleges for senior information systems engineers

The best colleges for senior information systems engineers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

A senior information 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 senior information 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 senior information systems engineers.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

4. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

6. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

9. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

In-state tuition

$55,453

Enrollment

4,312

10. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

20 best online courses for senior information systems engineers

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1. Information Systems Auditing, Controls and Assurance

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The course is awarded The Best Free Online Courses of All Time, and Best Online Courses of the Year (2021 Edition) by Class Central (http://www.classcentral.com). --- Information systems (IS) are important assets to business organizations and are ubiquitous in our daily lives. With the latest IS technologies emerging, such as Big Data, FinTech, Virtual Banks, there are more concerns from the public on how organizations maintain systems’ integrity, such as data privacy, information security, the...

2. Information​ ​Systems

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This specialization provides a robust introduction to the key principles and practices of Information Systems Management.\n\nThe first course describes how Information Systems address business problems. This takes the form of an IT alignment model that describes how Information Systems provide capabilities that enable or support organizational strategy. This component also includes an economic analysis of the Information System.\n\nThe second course in the specialization entails the practice of...

3. Certified Information Systems Security Officer (CISSO)

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Certified Information Systems Security Officer (CISSO) Certification Exam Prep Course...

4. Information Systems Security for Professionals: CISSP

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Making Next Gen Information Security Leaders...

5. NIST DoD RMF

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The Risk Management Framework (RMF) provides a disciplined, structured and flexible process for managing security and privacy risk. It includes information security categorization; control selection, implementation and assessment; system and common control authorizations; and continuous monitoring. It includes activities to prepare organizations to execute the framework at appropriate risk management levels. This learning path explains the RMF steps and its processes (aka tasks) which link...

6. Information Technology Essentials

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Introduction to Information Technology and Information Systems...

7. Practical Aspects of Information System Audit (For Beginner)

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Practical Aspects of Information System Audit (For Beginners)...

8. Information Security Fundamentals - Cyber Security Bootcamp

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A Beginners Awareness Guide on Information Security & Cyber Security to Keep Online and Offline Devices Safe!...

9. Certified Information Systems Security Professional CISSP

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Newest Version Released 2022...

10. Fundamentals of Unix and Linux System Administration

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Master Linux/Unix System administration through a practical and hands on approach...

11. Certificate Program In Management Information Systems

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Learn about the exciting world of Management Information Systems and its impact on the way organisations now function...

12. ISO/IEC 27001:2022. Information Security Management System

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Learn how your company can protect its information with an ISMS that meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001...

13. ISO/IEC 27002:2022. Information security controls

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Learn about the comprehensive set of information security controls proposed by ISO/IEC 27002:2022...

14. Information Security Basics for IT Support Technicians

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4.3
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Learn the basics of information security and what you need to know to be compliant with data protection regulations...

15. Information Security Management Fundamentals for Non-Techies

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Learn the Fundamentals of Information Security Management for Non-Techies...

16. Information Security Fundamentals

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The very basics of Info Sec...

17. Information Security Awareness: An Introduction for UK SMEs

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4.4
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Combating Security Threats and Cultivating Information Security Awareness...

18. Introduction to Corporate Information Security

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4.1
(454)

This course explains why information security and its management are important for any modern organization...

19. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

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Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)...

20. ISACA CISM Certified Information Security Manager

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One of the highest paid certifications! Become a Certified Information Security Manager!...

Top 10 most affordable universities for senior information systems engineers

The most affordable schools for senior information systems engineers are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for senior information 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 senior information systems engineers.

1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

7. Brigham Young University - Hawaii

Laie, HI • Private

In-state tuition

$5,560

Cost of attendance

18,043

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo

Arecibo, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,872

Cost of attendance

13,476

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce

Mercedita, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,914

Cost of attendance

13,564

10. Trident University International

Cypress, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,240

Cost of attendance

17,912

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior information systems engineers

The hardest universities for senior information systems engineers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for senior information 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 senior information 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. Amherst College

Amherst, MA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,449

5. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

6. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

7. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

8. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior information systems engineers

The easiest schools for senior information systems engineers to get into are Nyack College, saint martin's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

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

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Saint Xavier University

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

74%

SAT average

1,061

9. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,148

10. Longwood University

Farmville, VA • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,065

Average senior information systems engineer salary by education level

According to our data, senior information systems engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $129,328 annually. Senior information systems engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $124,440.
Senior information systems engineer education levelSenior information systems engineer salary
Master's Degree$129,328
High School Diploma or Less$110,219
Bachelor's Degree$124,440
Some College/ Associate Degree$111,763

Senior information systems engineer 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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