Systems Engineering
Engineering
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $110,810 | $88,434 to $121,307 | 12 | 100% |
| Master's Degree | $144,012 | $133,775 to $153,332 | 24 | 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 54,600 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineers | $102,440 | +12.4% | 23,100 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | +5.5% | 14,900 |
| Engineers, All Other | $122,930 | +3.7% | 8,800 |
| Database Architects | $139,500 | +9.4% | 3,900 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $109,270 | +7.8% | 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 systems engineering program, of 97 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Naval Postgraduate School
- University of Florida
- Stevens Institute of Technology
- Johns Hopkins University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide
- George Washington University
- Cornell 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.