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2023 Most Popular Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering

32 Ranked Colleges
113 Degrees Awarded
$160,692 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Systems Engineering is the 160th most popular major in the country with 3,904 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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 doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 113 systems engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate” ranking looked at 32 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in systems engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular systems engineering programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Systems Engineering Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate

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

1
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 13 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Systems Engineering at University of Virginia - Main Campus

2
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend George Washington University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate. GWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Full GWU Systems Engineering Report

3

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, Stevens Institute of Technology landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Hoboken, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology

4
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Boston University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. Boston University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 8 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Boston U

5

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #5 spot on the list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at UCSD

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado State University - Fort Collins. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate. Colorado State University - Fort Collins is located in Fort Collins, Colorado and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, 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.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Colorado State

5

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Louisiana at Lafayette landed the #5 spot on the list. UL Lafayette is a public institution located in Lafayette, Louisiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Systems Engineering at UL Lafayette

8

Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Systems Engineering Report

9

Case Western Reserve University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Case Western is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 4 doctorate’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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Case Western

9

University of South Alabama came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. University of South Alabama is a public institution located in Mobile, Alabama. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at University of South Alabama

9
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 4 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at University of Arizona

9

Missouri University of Science and Technology ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. Located in Rolla, Missouri, this medium-sized public school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Systems Engineering Report

9
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Texas Tech University is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Texas Tech University

9

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 4 degrees to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Systems Engineering Report

15

Massachusetts Institute of Technology came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. MIT is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 3 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%.

Full MIT Systems Engineering Report

15
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

George Mason University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Located in Fairfax, Virginia, this large public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full GMU Systems Engineering Report

15
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at University of Florida

15

Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. Located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, this small public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

Full Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management Systems Engineering Report

15

California Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #15. California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 94%.

Full Caltech Systems Engineering Report

20

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #20. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a private not-for-profit institution located in Troy, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at RPI

21
Naval Postgraduate School crest
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, California

With a ranking of #21, Naval Postgraduate School did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. Naval Postgraduate School is located in Monterey, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

Full Naval Postgraduate School Systems Engineering Report

21

Florida Institute of Technology came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Florida Tech is a medium-sized school located in Melbourne, Florida that handed out 1 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at Florida Institute of Technology

21

Washington University in St Louis came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full WUSTL Systems Engineering Report

24

Southern Methodist University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking. Southern Methodist University is a fairly large school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 43 doctorate’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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 full report on Systems Engineering at SMU

24

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #24. UT Chattanooga is a public institution located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 0 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Systems Engineering at The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

24
DU crest
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado

University of Denver ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. DU is located in Denver, Colorado and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 full report on Systems Engineering at DU

24

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 0 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Systems Engineering at University of California - Santa Cruz

24
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. Golden, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 full report on Systems Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

24
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 93 degrees to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Cornell University

24
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #24, Oakland University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. Located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Oakland

24
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, Worcester Polytechnic Institute did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. This medium-sized school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 56 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at WPI

24

With a ranking of #24, University of New Hampshire - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Systems Engineering Major for a Doctorate list. UNH is located in Durham, New Hampshire and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 0 doctorate’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Systems Engineering Report

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