Systems Engineering degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in systems engineering earn a median $114,815 four years after finishing, across 11 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in computer engineering earn $97,846, $35,797 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is software developers (45%).
Median across 11 colleges; middle half $89,696–$122,299.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $63,545–$142,135. 4,195 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Computer Engineering"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$62,208/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs systems engineering graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in computer engineering actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 45% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Other Engineers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Computer Support Specialists | 2% | $62,890 | -2.7% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 2% | — | — | — | — |
| Computer Programmers | 2% | $100,390 | -7.3% | Bachelor's degree | CI |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 2% | $105,850 | +7.9% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 2% | $161,740 | +9.1% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 2% | $116,580 | +5.1% | Bachelor's degree | CIE |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Who tends to enjoy this work
The jobs these graduates hold score highest on Investigative, Conventional, Realistic interests (O*NET), weighted by how many graduates hold each job. A rough guide to fit, not a test.
O*NET 31.0 interest scores (1-7) for each job, weighted by Census share of graduates; EducationGuide calculation.
Systems Engineering earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | — | $87,985 (108) |
| California | — | $122,891 (785) |
| Colorado | — | $109,145 (103) |
| Florida | — | $85,541 (234) |
| Georgia | — | $95,459 (111) |
| Illinois | — | $98,313 (174) |
| Massachusetts | — | $121,830 (117) |
| Michigan | — | $91,651 (122) |
| New Jersey | — | $107,046 (137) |
| New York | — | $106,133 (289) |
| North Carolina | — | $99,430 (101) |
| Ohio | — | $88,300 (164) |
| Pennsylvania | — | $92,873 (122) |
| Texas | — | $95,317 (370) |
| Virginia | — | $107,392 (149) |
| Washington | — | $166,194 (286) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where systems engineering graduates earn the most
The highest graduate earnings among the 33 colleges we cover that offer this major. Pick your state in the table above, or open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of VirginiaVA | $144,830 | $19,500 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Maritime AcademyMA | $125,191 | $27,000 |
| 3 | University of FloridaFL | $122,299 | $19,250 |
| 4 | George Washington UniversityDC | $120,976 | — |
| 5 | Washington University in St LouisMO | $119,297 | $20,500 |
| 6 | George Mason UniversityVA | $114,815 | $21,000 |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL | $106,805 | $17,800 |
| 8 | University of ArizonaAZ | $100,468 | $18,250 |
| 9 | Kennesaw State UniversityGA | $89,696 | $31,000 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at CharlotteNC | $84,648 | $26,000 |
| 11 | Texas A & M International UniversityTX | $60,126 | $10,243 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Systems Engineering degree questions
How much do Systems Engineering graduates make?
Systems Engineering graduates earn a median $114,815 four years after finishing, across 11 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $89,696 to $122,299; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in computer engineering, the median is $97,846 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Systems Engineering degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in computer engineering earn a median $97,846: $35,797 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $62,208 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Systems Engineering graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in computer engineering, the most common jobs are software developers (45%), other engineers (3%), computer support specialists (2%). Software Developers earn a U.S. median $135,980.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
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Cite this: “Systems Engineering degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/systems-engineering.