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Technical fellow education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a technical fellow. Technical fellows usually study computer science, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering. 63% of technical fellows hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 424 real technical fellow resumes to see exactly what technical fellow education sections show.

The most common colleges for technical fellows are the University of South Dakota and the University of South Dakota.

There are also many online technical fellow courses to help get the education required to be a technical fellow.

What education do you need to become a technical fellow?

What degree do you need to be a technical fellow?

The most common degree for technical fellows is bachelor's degree, with 63% of technical fellows earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 15%.
  • Bachelor's, 63%
  • Master's, 18%
  • Doctorate, 15%
  • Associate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a technical fellow?

You should major in computer science to become a technical fellow. 11% of technical fellows major in computer science. Other common majors for a technical fellow include electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

Most common colleges for technical fellows

Technical fellows often get their degrees at University of South Dakota, University of Maryland - College Park, and Harvard University. Here are the most common colleges for technical fellows in the US based on their resumes.
Technical fellow common collegePercentages
University of South Dakota12.50%
University of Maryland - College Park9.38%
Harvard University6.25%
Johns Hopkins University6.25%
Teachers College of Columbia University6.25%

Best majors for technical fellows

Best colleges for technical fellows

The best colleges for technical fellows are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

A technical fellow with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for technical fellows. 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 technical fellows.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

8. University of California - Davis

Davis, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,402

Enrollment

30,698

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

10. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

20 best online courses for technical fellows

Advertising disclosure

1. Introduction to Technical Support

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Technical Support professionals are in great demand! This is the first course in the IBM IT Support Professional Certificate program, designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in technical support. You will begin this self-paced course by learning what Informational Technology (IT) support is all about. You'll find out the roles and responsibilities of Technical Support professionals and become familiar with all the different career paths you can take in Technical Support. You will also...

2. Preparing for and Passing Technical Certifications

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Technology provides you with great opportunities for professional advancement, and technical certifications prove your knowledge, expertise, and hands-on experience to prospective employers or clients. It is extremely important to organizations like AWS, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, ITIL, PMI, and many others that their certifications prove technical expertise; otherwise, their certifications are of no value. That is why the exams are so hard. This course is intended to help you formulate an...

3. Leadership: New Manager Training for Technical Professionals

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Learn to establish yourself as a manager and lead your technical team to success. We are PDU Accredited...

4. Technical Writing: How to Write Software Documentation

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Learn a proven strategy for writing software docu in Git Hub wiki based on the 12 main principles of technical writing!...

5. Finance for Technical Managers

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In Finance for Technical Managers, you will explore the fundamental principles of financial management. Topics include understanding and interpreting a company’s financial statements, the time value of money and its role in evaluating the economic viability of different projects, and the annual capital budgeting process every company performs when selecting which projects to fund. In addition, you will cover some highly practical topics, such as how to determine product costs, establishing a...

6. IT Support Technical Skills Bootcamp

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Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Professionals...

7. IT Business Analyst & Project Managers Technical awareness

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A quick introduction to software development & IT for business analyst and non technical managers overseeing IT teams...

8. Business Writing & Technical Writing Immersion

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9. IT Support Technical Skills Helpdesk

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Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Learners...

10. Technical Writing: How to Write Using DITA XML

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11. IT & Technical Support Guide to Helpdesk, Desktop & Servers

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Learn how the different levels of IT technical support work, from service desk to infrastructure and server support...

12. Technical Writing: Master Your Writing Career

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Technical Writing: How to Become a Profitable, Reliable, and Successful Technical Writer...

13. Technical Analysis: Trading Smart With Technical Analysis

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14. Professional Technical Writing: Advance Your Writing Skills

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Create your first technical document by applying the principles and techniques of technical writing taught by Pro Writer...

15. Technical Writing: How to Write API Software Documentation

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A framework for writing software documentation for an API as a technical writer, using Postman or Swagger UI...

16. Introduction To Technical Writing

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How To Write Proper Documentation...

17. Microsoft Project ADVANCED: Project Management Technics 3PDU

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MS PROJECT 2016 ADVANCED Project Management Techniques -incl Enterprise level. HANDS-ON from #1 BESTSELLING INSTRUCTOR...

18. Technical Report Writing

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An interactive course that focuses on practical skills. Taught by a leading Psychologist, University Lecturer & Author...

19. Technical Analysis MasterClass:Trading By Technical Analysis

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Stock Market Technical Analysis Secrets for Forex , Stock Trading , Options , Swing Trading & Day Trading + ASSIGNMENTS...

20. Technical Program Management

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4.5
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This is a course designed for individuals looking to learn about the Technical Program Management (TPM) discipline...

Top 10 most affordable universities for technical fellows

The most affordable schools for technical fellows are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and hunter college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for technical fellows 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 technical fellows.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

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. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. 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

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

10. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for technical fellows

The hardest universities for technical fellows to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for technical fellows 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 technical fellows 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

6. Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,488

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for technical fellows

The easiest schools for technical fellows to get into are Barry University, d'youville college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a technical fellow 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 technical fellows.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

8. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

9. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

10. Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,102

Average technical fellow salary by education level

Technical fellows with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $76,518 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, technical fellows earn a median annual income of $72,838 compared to $63,483 for technical fellows with an Associate degree.
Technical fellow education levelTechnical fellow salary
Master's Degree$76,518
High School Diploma or Less$62,364
Bachelor's Degree$72,838
Some College/ Associate Degree$63,483

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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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