Computer Engineering

Types of Degrees Computer Engineering Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer engineering technology graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Associate’s Degree	1,467
Bachelor’s Degree	994
Basic Certificate	929
Undergraduate Certificate	518
Master’s Degree	264
Graduate Certificate	5
Doctor’s Degree	3

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

Computer Engineering Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• 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:

• 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:

• 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?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 994 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering technology in 2019, making it rank #165 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 89% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	126
Black or African American	116
Hispanic or Latino	170
White	447
International Students	71
Other Races/Ethnicities	64

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Computer Engineering Tech. About 7.1% 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 early-career salary of computer engineering technology students with a bachelor’s degree is $53,900 a year according to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $53,900 (25th percentile) and $53,900 (75th percentile).

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 the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

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.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer Engineering

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

Find out what the typical degree level is for computer engineering tech careers below.

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 2018-2019, 306 schools offered a computer engineering tech program of some type. 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)	107	9
Certificate (1-2 years)	88	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	1	0
Associate’s Degree	179	12
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	107	9
Master’s Degree	2	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	2	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!

Majors Related to Computer Engineering

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

Major	Number of Grads
Industrial Production Technology	14,313
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology	10,756
Electromechanical Engineering Technology	10,702
Environmental Control Technology	10,042
Electronics Engineering Technology	9,875
Mechanical Engineering Technology	7,772
Engineering-Related Fields	5,997
Quality Control Technology	4,315
General Engineering Technology	4,212
Construction Engineering Technology	3,824
Engineering Technology (Other)	1,786
Architectural Engineering Technology	1,362
Civil Engineering Technology	1,357
Engineering-Related Technologies	840
Mining & Petroleum Technology	705
Nuclear Engineering Technology	388
Nanotechnology	123

References

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By AAAndrey A under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.