Computer Engineering
Engineering
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $103,915 | $95,826 to $116,250 | 180 | 100% |
| Master's Degree | $130,329 | $117,786 to $155,493 | 28 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +8% (2025 to 2035), about 142,400 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $135,980 | +10.2% | 95,300 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | +5.5% | 14,900 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $104,300 | +5.7% | 10,700 |
| Computer Network Architects | $134,050 | +7.7% | 9,600 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $161,740 | +9.1% | 4,100 |
| Database Architects | $139,500 | +9.4% | 3,900 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a computer engineering program, of 362 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Northeastern University
- San Jose State University
- New York University
- Ohio State University-Main Campus
- Arizona State University Campus Immersion
- University of California-Irvine
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Santa Clara University
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.