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Systems engineering internship education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a systems engineering internship. Systems engineering interns usually study electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or computer engineering. 74% of systems engineering interns hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,338 real systems engineering internship resumes to see exactly what systems engineering internship education sections show.
The most common colleges for systems engineering interns are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.
There are also many online systems engineering internship courses to help get the education required to be a systems engineering internship.
There are certain systems engineering internship certifications that you should consider. These systems engineering internship certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Computer Service Technician (CST).
What education do you need to become a systems engineering internship?
What degree do you need to be a systems engineering internship?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 7%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a systems engineering internship?
- Computer Engineering, 10%
- Computer Science, 9%
- Other Majors, 36%
Most common colleges for systems engineering interns
| Systems engineering internship common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Purdue University | 6.88% |
| San Jose State University | 6.48% |
| Arizona State University | 6.07% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 6.07% |
| University of Central Florida | 6.07% |
Best majors for systems engineering interns
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Engineering | 30.4% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 15.4% |
| 3 | Computer Engineering | 9.5% |
| 4 | Computer Science | 8.6% |
| 5 | Engineering | 4.1% |
Best colleges for systems engineering interns
The best colleges for systems engineering interns are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A systems engineering internship with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for systems engineering interns. 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 systems engineering interns.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
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. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
20 best online courses for systems engineering interns
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18. Fundamentals of Unix and Linux System Administration
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19. Control Systems Made Simple Beginner's Guide
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20. Software Architecture & System Design Practical Case Studies
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Top 10 most affordable universities for systems engineering interns
The most affordable schools for systems engineering interns are California State University - Long Beach, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for systems engineering interns 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 systems engineering interns.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
5. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
7. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
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 systems engineering interns
The hardest universities for systems engineering interns to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for systems engineering interns 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 systems engineering interns 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
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
8. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for systems engineering interns
The easiest schools for systems engineering interns to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and san francisco state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a systems engineering internship 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 systems engineering interns.
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. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
4. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
5. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
6. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
7. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
8. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
9. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
10. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
Average systems engineering internship salary by education level
| Systems engineering internship education level | Systems engineering internship salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,274 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,064 |
| Doctorate Degree | $46,341 |
Systems engineering internship 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