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Systems programmer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a systems programmer. Systems programmers usually study computer science, business, or electrical engineering. 70% of systems programmers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 5,837 real systems programmer resumes to see exactly what systems programmer education sections show.
The most common colleges for systems programmers are the University of Maryland - College Park and the University of Maryland - College Park.
There are also many online systems programmer courses to help get the education required to be a systems programmer.
There are certain systems programmer certifications that you should consider. These systems programmer certifications include Certified Information Systems Security Professional - Architecture (CISSP) and Information Systems Security Management Professional (ISSMP).
What education do you need to become a systems programmer?
What degree do you need to be a systems programmer?
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Associate, 16%
- Master's, 10%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a systems programmer?
- Computer Science, 37%
- Business, 11%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for systems programmers
| Systems programmer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | 9.16% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.12% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.07% |
| DeVry University | 6.28% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 6.02% |
Best majors for systems programmers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 37.5% |
| 2 | Business | 11.5% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 7.3% |
| 4 | Computer Information Systems | 7.2% |
| 5 | Mathematics | 5.8% |
Best colleges for systems programmers
The best colleges for systems programmers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A systems programmer 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 programmers. 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 programmers.
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 systems programmers
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10. Linux System Programming - A programmers/Practical Approach
Files, Memory and Process management, Fork, Signals, Threads, IPC - Pipes, FIFO, message Queue, Semaphores,Shared Memory...
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Top 10 most affordable universities for systems programmers
The most affordable schools for systems programmers 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 systems programmers 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 programmers.
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 systems programmers
The hardest universities for systems programmers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for systems programmers 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 programmers 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 systems programmers
The easiest schools for systems programmers 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 systems programmer 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 programmers.
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 systems programmer salary by education level
| Systems programmer education level | Systems programmer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $104,612 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $99,777 |
| Doctorate Degree | $107,678 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $86,251 |
Systems programmer 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