Systems Engineering
Systems Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $136,006, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 69,280 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Systems Engineering and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$11,238 Median In-State Public
$60,156 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Systems Engineering majors are, on average, $11,238 for in-state public colleges, and $60,156 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Systems Engineering programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
3,956 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Systems Engineering from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Systems Engineering.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 3 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,095 |
| 4 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | 49,000 |
| 5 | University of Maryland Global Campus | MD | 48,238 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Systems Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Merchant Marine Academy | NY | $945 |
| 2 | Yavapai College | AZ | $2,838 |
| 3 | Edison State Community College | OH | $4,379 |
| 4 | Florida State University | FL | $5,656 |
| 5 | Kennesaw State University | GA | $5,786 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Systems Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A & M International University | TX | $3,061 |
| 2 | University of Florida | FL | $6,351 |
| 3 | Yavapai College | AZ | $6,355 |
| 4 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus | NM | $6,747 |
| 5 | United States Merchant Marine Academy | NY | $7,506 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Systems Engineering programs.
Graduation Rates
56.95% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.64% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.28% - 72.24% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Systems Engineering programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Systems Engineering graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$136,006 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Systems Engineering majors is $136,006.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Systems Engineering majors.
Occupations by Share
69,280 2023 Workforce
The number of Systems Engineering graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Systems Engineering by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Systems Engineering degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Systems Engineering degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Systems Engineering in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Systems Engineering.
Age distribution for Systems Engineering degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Systems Engineering degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Systems Engineering degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Systems Engineering are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Systems Engineering.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Systems Engineering field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Systems Engineering majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Systems Engineering majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Systems Engineering majors.
About
Systems Engineering
In 2023, 3,956 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Systems Engineering.
CIP Code
00.1427 - Systems Engineering
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Systems Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $136,006, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.