Senior systems architect education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior systems architect. Senior systems architects usually study computer science, electrical engineering, or business. 65% of senior systems architects hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,616 real senior systems architect resumes to see exactly what senior systems architect education sections show.

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

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

There are certain senior systems architect certifications that you should consider. These senior systems architect certifications include Certified Senior System Architect (CSSA) and Certified System Architect (CSA).

What education do you need to become a senior systems architect?

What degree do you need to be a senior systems architect?

The most common degree for senior systems architects is bachelor's degree, with 65% of senior systems architects earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 22% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 65%

Master's, 22%

Associate, 7%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a senior systems architect?

You should major in computer science to become a senior systems architect. 29% of senior systems architects major in computer science. Other common majors for a senior systems architect include electrical engineering and business.

Computer Science, 29%

Electrical Engineering, 16%

Business, 8%

Computer Engineering, 6%

Other Majors, 41%

Most common colleges for senior systems architects

Senior systems architects often get their degrees at University of Maryland - College Park, New York University, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for senior systems architects in the US based on their resumes.

Senior systems architect common college	Percentages
University of Maryland - College Park	13.49%
New York University	7.94%
University of Phoenix	6.35%
Pennsylvania State University	5.56%
DeVry University	5.56%

Show more common senior systems architect colleges

Best majors for senior systems architects

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Science	28.9%
2	Electrical Engineering	15.7%
3	Business	8.2%
4	Computer Engineering	6.5%
5	Computer Information Systems	5.2%

Show more common senior systems architect majors

Best colleges for senior systems architects

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

A senior systems architect 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 systems architects. 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 systems architects.

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 systems architects

Advertising disclosure

1. Pega CSSA Course

4.3

(375)

PEGA Certified Senior System Architect(CSSA)...

2. Fundamentals of Unix and Linux System Administration

4.2

(1,085)

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

3. Software Architecture for the Enterprise Architect

4.2

(3,551)

Learn software architecture skills required by an enterprise architect including UML modelling and architecture patterns...

4. Software Architecture & Design of Modern Large Scale Systems

4.7

(4,499)

Become a Software Architect or Technical Lead by Mastering Software Architecture, System Design & Big Data Processing...

5. SQL Advanced

4.4

(1,483)

Lead yourself to enhance your SQL skills and transform into Senior SQL Developer. Learn SQL by doing with me...

6. Software Architecture & System Design Practical Case Studies

4.7

(250)

Design Real-life Large Scale Systems, Practice Modern Software Architecture & Prepare for a System Design Interview...

7. DB2 For Beginners

4.3

(1,647)

Execute SQL Queries on an IBM DB2 Database Server...

8. Google Cloud Professional Architect: Get Certified 2022

4.6

(1,357)

Latest Exam and Case Studies. Think Like an Architect. Design Scalable, Highly Available, Resilient Services...

9. Pega CSA Course

4.2

(464)

Pega Tutorial for Beginners...

10. SQL - MySQL for Data Analytics and Business Intelligence

4.6

(53,305)

SQL that will get you hired – SQL for Business Analysis, Marketing, and Data Management...

11. Software Architecture & Technology of Large-Scale Systems

4.5

(4,420)

Learn Architecting Software Systems with High Performance, Scalability, Availability, Security using Modern Technologies...

12. SQL Masterclass: SQL for Data Analytics

4.5

(12,102)

SQL course covering basic to advanced SQL topics for SQL Database (Postgre SQL). Beginner friendly SQL training...

13. SQL Server Analysis Services - SSAS, Data Mining & Analytics

4.1

(1,296)

Develop SSAS cubes from data warehouse on Multidimensional & Tabular modes with Dimensional & Data Mining Models...

14. Software Architecture Security - The Complete Guide

4.5

(2,878)

Become a better Software Architect by designing secure systems...

15. The Complete Cloud Computing Software Architecture Patterns

4.7

(1,025)

Architect Large Scale Systems using Cloud Computing, Software Architecture Patterns & Modern System Design Principles...

16. SQL Tutorial for Beginners - Learn SQL using 30 scenarios

4.4

(937)

A comprehensive course to teach you SQL on Mac and Windows using Azure Data Studio, Microsoft SQL Server and T-SQL...

17. The Advanced SQL Server Masterclass For Data Analysis

4.7

(2,996)

Take your SQL skills - and your career - to the next level...

18. SQL Masterclass for Data Analysis with BigData

4.4

(495)

Master SQL queries and Become an In-demand SQL Professional. Also included - Data Analysis of Big Data with Big Query...

19. Linux System Programming using C and C++(Practical Approach)

4.2

(501)

Practical approach to Linux c-system programming for fork, thread, semaphore IPC, etc...

20. SQL - Master Class For Data Analysis

4.7

(1,031)

Writing SQL Server queries for Data Analysis...

Top 10 most affordable universities for senior systems architects

The most affordable schools for senior systems architects 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 systems architects 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 systems architects.

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 systems architects

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

Some great schools for senior systems architects 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 systems architects 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

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

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

SAT average

1,520

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior systems architects

The easiest schools for senior systems architects 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 systems architect 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 systems architects.

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 systems architect salary by education level

Senior systems architects with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $131,836 annually. With a Master's degree, senior systems architects earn a median annual income of $131,620 compared to $119,414 for senior systems architects with an Bachelor's degree.

Senior systems architect education level	Senior systems architect salary
Master's Degree	$131,620
Bachelor's Degree	$119,414
Doctorate Degree	$131,836
Some College/ Associate Degree	$101,893

Senior systems architect education FAQs

What is the best college for Senior Systems Architects?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

Search for senior systems architect jobs

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

Browse computer and mathematical jobs