Computer Engineering major
Computer Engineering: courses, careers, and where to study
Computer Engineering blends electrical engineering and computer science to design the hardware and embedded systems that run modern devices, suiting students who enjoy both circuits and code.
A Computer Engineering major sits at the boundary of electrical engineering and computer science, focusing on the design of computing hardware and the low-level software that drives it. A typical bachelor's degree builds on calculus, differential equations, and physics, then moves into digital logic design, circuit analysis, microprocessors and computer architecture, embedded systems, signals, and operating systems. Students work in labs with FPGAs, microcontrollers, and hardware description languages such as VHDL or Verilog, and most programs finish with a senior capstone design project.
Graduates design and test processors, memory, circuit boards, and embedded controllers, and write the firmware and device drivers that let hardware and software work together. They work across semiconductors, consumer electronics, telecommunications, aerospace, automotive, and embedded products. The closely related occupation of computer hardware engineers had a median wage of $155,020 per year in 2024, with projected employment growth of 7.3% from 2024 to 2034 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Computer engineering programs are credit-heavy and are commonly accredited by ABET. The coursework overlaps substantially with both electrical engineering and computer science, so graduates can pursue hardware, embedded, or software-leaning roles depending on their electives and concentration.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Computer Engineering maps to CIP 14.0901, Computer Engineering, General, within the ENGINEERING family. The official definition:
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of computer hardware and software systems and related equipment and facilities; and the analysis of specific problems of computer applications to various tasks.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Computer Engineering is awarded as
Of the 13,425 Computer Engineering credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate<1%122
- Associate<1%35
- Bachelor's69%9,308
- Graduate29%3,960
This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 32 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 0 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Digital logic design and Boolean algebra
- Circuit analysis and electronics fundamentals
- Computer architecture and microprocessor design
- Embedded systems and microcontroller programming
- Hardware description languages (VHDL/Verilog) and FPGA design
- Signals, systems, and the C/assembly programming used for firmware
- Operating systems, computer networks, and data structures
- Senior capstone hardware/software design project
Typical careers
- Computer hardware engineers
- Embedded Systems Engineer
- Firmware Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- FPGA / Hardware Design Engineer
- Software Engineer
Typical salary range: BLS, 2024 computer hardware engineers median $155,020Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Computer Engineering, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $133,080 | 115,200 | +15.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $102,610 | 14,000 | +10% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer Network Architects | $130,390 | 11,200 | +11.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | $155,020 | 4,700 | +7.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $106,120 | 4,100 | +8.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Database Architects | $135,980 | 4,000 | +8.7% | Bachelor's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 7 of these 7 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Computer Engineering does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Computer Engineering major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Computer Engineering program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Computer Engineering department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Computer Engineering program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Computer Engineering credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- Ohio State University-Main CampusOH · 511
- New York UniversityNY · 510
- North Carolina State University at RaleighNC · 417
- University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignIL · 392
- Purdue University-Main CampusIN · 370
- Santa Clara UniversityCA · 366
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA · 325
- University of Michigan-Ann ArborMI · 316
- Texas A & M University-College StationTX · 306
- University of California-San DiegoCA · 274
- University of California-IrvineCA · 253
- Arizona State University Campus ImmersionAZ · 231
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Computer Engineering credentials were awarded
6 states have a distinct enough set of Computer Engineering colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Computer Engineering schools by state
- Computer Engineering in California
- Computer Engineering in Florida
- Computer Engineering in Georgia
- Computer Engineering in Illinois
- Computer Engineering in Maryland
- Computer Engineering in Massachusetts
- Computer Engineering in New York
- Computer Engineering in North Carolina
- Computer Engineering in Pennsylvania
- Computer Engineering in Texas
Related majors
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering applies physics and math to circuits, power, and electronics, suiting students who want to design the hardware and systems behind modern technology.
Computer Science
Computer Science combines the mathematical foundations of computation with practical software engineering, preparing graduates for careers in software, AI/ML, security, data, and research.
Engineering
Engineering majors apply math, physics, and design to build the physical and digital systems that power society, from bridges and chips to medical devices and aircraft.
Information Technology
Information Technology (IT) focuses on applying computing systems to organizational needs, administering networks, supporting users, building business systems, and managing IT operations.
Still deciding between Computer Engineering and something else?
These guides put Computer Engineeringside by side with the major it is most often confused with, using the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk to show where the two actually lead.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Computer Engineering degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Computing & Math careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Computer Engineering degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Computer Engineering path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.