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Computer Engineering

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 15.1201- 15.1299.

Types of Degrees Computer Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Computer Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	145
Associate’s Degree	1,207
Bachelor’s Degree	775
Master’s Degree	1,053
Doctor’s Degree	2

What Computer Engineering Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Computer Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Computer Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Computer Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Operating system software	Operating system software	✓
IBM Notes	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Computer Engineering graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Beta Tester
• Optics Technician (Optics Tech)
• Optical Engineering Technician (Optical Engineering Tech)
• Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech)
• Laser Scanners Technician (Laser Scanners Tech)
• Mobile Laser Technician (Mobile Laser Tech)
• Photonics Engineering Technologist
• Optical Fabrication Technician (Optical Fabrication Tech)
• Fiber Optics Splicer
• Photonics Technician (Photonics Tech)
• Strain Technician (Strain Tech)
• Laser Operator
• Optics Manufacturing Technician (Optics Manufacturing Tech)

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	31.5%
Bachelor’s degree	29.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	22.8%
Some college courses	6.4%
Postsecondary certificate	6.2%
Master’s degree	2.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Computer Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 81.8% of Computer Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	597	18.2%
Men	2,678	81.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,439	43.9%
Asian	263	8.0%
Hispanic or Latino	606	18.5%
Black or African American	519	15.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	29	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	9	0.3%
Two or More Races	144	4.4%
Race Unknown	87	2.7%
International Students	179	5.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Computer Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Computer Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,769
4 years	$47,945
5 years	$55,101

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $55,101 — roughly 63% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Computer Engineering Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for 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
Associate’s	15	8
Bachelor’s	4	13

^{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 Computer Engineering Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Computer Engineering graduates earn a median of $47,945 four years after completion — roughly 26% 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	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering Technologies	91,975
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	11,920
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	11,391
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	10,798
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,702
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,196
Engineering-Related Fields	8,633
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	5,996
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	5,089
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	3,938
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	2,247
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	1,557

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.