Systems Engineering.
Data details: Graduation rate, gender, ethnicity, and summary are for this specific degree (6-digit CIP) from IPEDS. Salary, debt, and related financial outcomes are based on the degree category (4-digit CIP) from the College Scorecard API. ← Back to search
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Debt to Income Ratio
Why Systems Engineering. stands out: With a debt-to-income ratio of just 24.1%, graduates of this program typically enjoy manageable student loan payments compared to their first-year earnings. This low ratio means that, on average, students who complete Systems Engineering. can expect to pay off their student debt faster and with less financial stress than most other fields. Programs with a DTI below 0.5 are considered excellent by financial experts, making this degree a smart investment for your future.
For example, with a median salary of $89540 and average student debt of $21594, the financial outlook for Systems Engineering. graduates is especially strong in .
Key Insights
Systems Engineering. is a program that attracts motivated students who want to make an impact. Starting pay for new grads is typically $89540, and with an average debt of $21594, the debt-to-income ratio comes in at 0.24—meaning you’ll have lots of flexibility after graduation.
This program sees about 4148 graduates annually, so you’ll be joining a well-established network. A common next step is a career as a Industrial Engineers, which is expected to see 11.0% growth. Whether you’re aiming for a high-paying job, a stable career, or a chance to make an impact, Systems Engineering. is a great foundation. Remember, your journey is shaped by the opportunities you pursue—so get involved and stay curious!
Degree Overview
Systems Engineering (CIP 14.2701) is a unique, interdisciplinary branch of engineering that focuses on how to design and manage complex systems over their entire life cycles. Unlike engineers who focus on a single component—like a circuit board or a gear—the systems engineer focuses on the "big picture." They ensure that the software, hardware, people, and processes all work together seamlessly to achieve a specific goal, such as launching a satellite, running a smart city, or operating an automated warehouse.
This field is ideal for "strategic orchestrators"—individuals who are naturally organized, enjoy high-level logic, and want to lead projects that are too large for any one specialist to handle alone.
What Is a Systems Engineering Degree?
A degree in Systems Engineering is less about "building" and more about "integrating." You will study the mathematical and logical frameworks used to organize massive amounts of information and technology. Because it is highly versatile, you will learn the "language" of other engineering fields (mechanical, electrical, and software) so you can communicate across teams. It is a rigorous STEM major that prioritizes optimization, risk management, and reliability above all else.
Schools offer this degree to:
- Train "Project Architects" who can oversee the development of multi-billion dollar aircraft or spacecraft
- Develop experts in Operations Research—using math to find the most efficient way to run a business or factory
- Prepare professionals for Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), using digital twins to test systems before they are built
- Study Human-Machine Integration, ensuring that technology is designed to work safely with human users
What Will You Learn?
Students learn that a system is more than the sum of its parts; it is the interaction between those parts that determines whether a project succeeds or fails.
Core Skills You’ll Build
Most students learn to:
- Master Requirements Engineering—defining exactly what a system must do before design begins
- Use "Systems Modeling Language" (SysML) to map out complex workflows and data paths
- Design Validation and Verification (V&V) plans to test every part of a system for errors
- Perform "Risk Analysis" to identify potential points of failure in a network or machine
- Utilize Probability and Statistics to predict the long-term reliability of a product
- Understand Decision Analysis—using mathematical models to choose the best path forward when trade-offs are required
Topics You May Explore
Coursework is a mix of engineering theory, mathematics, and management science:
- Control Theory: The study of how to keep systems (like thermostats or autopilot) stable through feedback loops.
- Optimization: Using linear and non-linear programming to find the "best" solution to a problem.
- Network Analysis: Understanding how information and physical goods move through a connected web.
- Software Systems: Learning how code interacts with physical hardware and sensors.
- Logistics and Supply Chain: Engineering the movement of materials to keep a system running.
- Safety and Reliability Engineering: Calculating the "mean time between failures" for critical equipment.
What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?
Graduates find roles as high-level analysts and leads in industries where complexity is the greatest challenge.
Common job roles include:
- Systems Engineer: Coordinating between different engineering teams to build complex products.
- Operations Analyst: Improving the efficiency of a company’s internal processes and manufacturing.
- Integration Engineer: Testing and merging different software and hardware subsystems.
- Reliability Engineer: Ensuring that products (like cars or satellites) last as long as they are supposed to.
- Technical Project Manager: Leading a team of engineers to hit deadlines and stay within budget.
- Network Architect: Designing the large-scale communication systems for a business or government agency.
Where Can You Work?
Systems engineers work wherever "complexity" is found:
- Aerospace and Defense: Firms like NASA, Boeing, SpaceX, and Lockheed Martin.
- Tech and Software Giants: Managing the massive server and cloud networks of Google, AWS, or Microsoft.
- Automotive and Transportation: Designing the self-driving systems for Tesla or Waymo.
- Healthcare and Bio-Tech: Optimizing the workflow of hospitals or the production of vaccines.
- Energy and Utilities: Managing the complex "smart grids" that distribute electricity.
How Much Can You Earn?
Because systems engineers are essential for reducing costly errors in large projects, they are highly valued and well-compensated.
- Systems Engineers (Mid-Career): Median annual salary of approximately $105,000–$135,000.
- Operations Research Analysts: Salaries typically range from $90,000 to $120,000.
- Senior Integration Leads: Median annual salary of around $130,000–$170,000.
- Entry-Level Junior Engineers: Often start between $80,000 and $95,000.
Is This Degree Hard?
The difficulty is in the abstract and mathematical nature of the work. You must be comfortable with high-level statistics and calculus, but you also need to have "social intelligence" to manage different types of specialists. It requires a "broad" mind—you have to be able to jump from a conversation about software to a conversation about thermal heat shields without getting lost. It is a "heavy-thinking" major that rewards those who can see patterns in chaos.
Who Should Consider This Degree?
This degree may be a good fit if you:
- Are the person who "organizes everything" and sees the big picture
- Love solving puzzles and finding the most efficient way to do a task
- Want to lead teams and manage large, exciting projects like space missions
- Enjoy a mix of math, technology, and business/management
- Are comfortable with ambiguity and enjoy defining the "rules" of a new project
How to Prepare in High School
- Take the highest levels of Math (Calculus) and Statistics available
- Learn basic coding (Python or C++); logic is the core of systems engineering
- Join a robotics team and try to be the "Project Manager" or "Systems Lead"
- Practice your Technical Writing and Public Speaking; you will have to explain your designs to many people
- Read about "Game Theory" and "Logic" to understand how complex decisions are made
The ability to synthesize different technologies and people into a single, high-performing system is the hallmark of a successful systems engineering professional.
Personality Fit (RIASEC Profile)
Official assessment tool by the U.S. Department of Labor