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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering

78 Ranked Colleges
2,186 Degrees Awarded
$101,131 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 3,904 people earned their degree in systems engineering, making the major the 160th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, systems engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $89,736 and had an average of $21,799 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 2,186 systems engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major” ranking analyzed 78 colleges that offered a degree in systems engineering. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their systems engineering program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Systems Engineering Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More Systems Engineering Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree systems engineering students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering

1
Rensselaer at Hartford crest
Rensselaer at Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut

Out of the 78 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Rensselaer at Hartford landed the #1 spot on the list. Hartford, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s systems engineering degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Rensselaer at Hartford

2
Naval Postgraduate School crest
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Naval Postgraduate School. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major. Naval Postgraduate School is located in Monterey, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 211 masters’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

Full Naval Postgraduate School Systems Engineering Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major. Located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, this small public school handed out 42 diplomas to qualified masters’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management

4
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 205 degrees to qualified masters’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Systems Engineering Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stevens Institute of Technology. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major. Stevens Institute of Technology is located in Hoboken, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 105 masters’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Stevens Institute of Technology Systems Engineering Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Daytona Beach, Florida. It awarded 126 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Embry-Riddle Worldwide Systems Engineering Report

7
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

With a ranking of #7, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 202 degrees to qualified masters’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins

8

Florida Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized school is located in Melbourne, Florida, and it awarded 38 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Florida Institute of Technology Systems Engineering Report

9
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major ranking. WPI is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 36 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at WPI

10

Lawrence Technological University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Lawrence Tech is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Southfield, Michigan. It awarded 11 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Lawrence Technological University Systems Engineering Report

11
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 27 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Colorado School of Mines Systems Engineering Report

12

Missouri University of Science and Technology ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 34 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Systems Engineering Report

13
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #13, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 93 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Cornell University

14
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Northeastern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 84 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Northeastern University Systems Engineering Report

15

Southern Methodist University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major ranking. Located in Dallas, Texas, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 43 diplomas to qualified masters’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at SMU

16
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

George Washington University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major ranking. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 85 degrees to qualified masters’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at GWU

17
St. Mary's crest
St. Mary's University
San Antonio, Texas

St. Mary’s University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. St. Mary’s University is a small school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 8 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at St. Mary’s

18

With a ranking of #18, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 18 degrees to qualified masters’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at University of Michigan - Dearborn

19

The University of Texas at El Paso ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. UTEP is a public institution located in El Paso, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at UTEP

20

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 89 diplomas to qualified masters’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

21
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #21, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 45 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Virginia Systems Engineering Report

22
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #22, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. University of Pennsylvania is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at UPenn

23

The University of Texas at Dallas came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major ranking. UT Dallas is a large school located in Richardson, Texas that handed out 35 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at UT Dallas

24

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major ranking, coming in at #24. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is a large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 38 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech

25
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Systems Engineering Major list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 10 masters’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Saint Cloud State University

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Notes and References

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