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Computer Engineering Major

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Computer Engineering

1,014 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
171 Master's Degrees Annually
#166 in Popularity
$89,580 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Computer Engineering Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer engineering technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Associate Degree 1,137
Bachelor’s Degree 1,014
Basic Certificate 859
Undergraduate Certificate 406
Master’s Degree 171
Graduate Certificate 6
Doctor’s Degree 2

What Computer Engineering Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, computer engineering tech majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Computer Engineering Tech Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in computer engineering tech should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Skills for Computer Engineering Tech Majors

computer engineering tech majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Computer Engineering Tech Majors

Computer Engineering Tech majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

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  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

What Can You Do With a Computer Engineering Major?

People with a computer engineering tech degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Electrical Engineering Technicians 2.0% $64,330
Electronics Engineering Technicians 2.0% $64,330
Manufacturing Production Technicians 5.2% $63,200
Software Developers, Applications 30.7% $103,620
Software Developers, Systems Software 11.1% $110,000

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering?

1,014 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
13% Percent Women
45% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 1,014 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering technology in 2021, making it rank #166 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 87% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of computer engineering tech majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 133
Black or African American 122
Hispanic or Latino 174
White 440
International Students 89
Other Races/Ethnicities 56

Geographic Diversity

Computer Engineering Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 8.8% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • India
  • Saudi Arabia
  • China
  • Nepal
  • Nigeria

How Much Do Computer Engineering Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering tech was $53,564 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $52,945 (25th percentile) and $57,846 (75th percentile).

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It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to computer engineering tech.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $65,720 to $108,080 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to computer engineering tech. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Computer Engineering Major  ( 65720 to 108080 )
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Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with computer engineering tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to computer engineering tech have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 7.6%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 13.6%
Some College Courses 6.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 16.9%
Bachelor’s Degree 47.8%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 0.4%
Master’s Degree 7.2%
Post-Doctoral Training 0.6%

Online Computer Engineering Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 280 schools offered some type of computer engineering technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 86 3
Certificate (2-4 Years) 2 0
Associate’s Degree 162 14
Bachelor’s Degree 3 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 2 0
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 3 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Computer Engineering Worth It?

The median salary for a computer engineering tech grad is $89,580 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 125% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $993,600 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to computer engineering tech.

Major Number of Grads
Industrial Production Technology 11,906
Electromechanical Engineering Technology 10,593
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology 8,964
Environmental Control Technology 8,690
Electronics Engineering Technology 8,592
Engineering-Related Fields 6,736
Mechanical Engineering Technology 6,013
General Engineering Technology 4,676
Construction Engineering Technology 4,330
Quality Control Technology 3,824
Engineering Technology (Other) 1,768
Architectural Engineering Technology 1,290
Energy Systems Technologies 1,256
Civil Engineering Technology 1,187
Engineering-Related Technologies 989
Mining & Petroleum Technology 445
Nuclear Engineering Technology 220
Nanotechnology 114

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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