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General Computer Engineering

Types of Degrees General Computer Engineering Majors Are Earning

Those studying General Computer Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	35
Bachelor’s Degree	9,386
Master’s Degree	3,706
Doctor’s Degree	381

What General Computer Engineering Majors Need to Know

Programs in General Computer Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that General Computer Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing General Computer Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a General Computer Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to General Computer Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, General Computer Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by General Computer Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for General Computer Engineering graduates include:

• Electronic Science Teacher
• College Faculty Member
• Mining Teacher
• Hydraulics Teacher
• Radio Engineering Teacher
• Metallurgy Teacher
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Chemical Engineering Professor
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor
• Engineering Professor
• Surveying Teacher
• Machine Design Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Teacher
• Electronics Teacher
• Metallurgical Engineering Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to General Computer Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	34.4%
Doctoral degree	23.1%
Master’s degree	12.7%
Post-master’s certificate	7.2%
Post-doctoral training	6.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.7%
Postsecondary certificate	4.1%
Some college courses	2.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.1%
First professional degree	1.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.9%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in General Computer Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 82.3% of General Computer Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,393	17.7%
Men	11,115	82.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of General Computer Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	4,433	32.8%
Asian	2,471	18.3%
Hispanic or Latino	1,430	10.6%
Black or African American	557	4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	5	0.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	4	0.0%
Two or More Races	444	3.3%
Race Unknown	288	2.1%
International Students	3,876	28.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do General Computer Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of General Computer Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$82,085
4 years	$94,356
5 years	$109,878

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $109,878 — roughly 34% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online General Computer Engineering Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for General Computer Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	5	5
Master’s	13	12
Doctoral (Research)	2	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in General Computer Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, General Computer Engineering graduates earn a median of $94,356 four years after completion — roughly 148% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Computer Engineering	14.09
Computer Engineering, Other	14.0999
Computer Hardware Engineering	14.0902
Computer Software Engineering	14.0903
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.4701
Electrical and Electronics Engineering	14.1001
Systems Engineering	14.2701
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General	14.0201
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other	14.0299

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.