Learn everything you need to know about earning an online computer engineering master’s degree from a top-rated, accredited school, including cost, coursework, and career paths.
Author: Kyra Sutherland
Expertise: Graduate EducationOnline LearningStudent SuccessEditor: Jordan Cosselman
- Which Student Are You?
Which Computer Engineering Program Format Fits Your Goals?
Read more - Best Programs
Inside 3 Popular Online Master's Programs in Computer Engineering
Read more - Advantages
Why Earn an Online Master's in Computer Engineering?
Read more - What You'll Learn
What You'll Learn in a Computer Engineering Master's Program
Read more - Accreditation
Accreditation for Online Master's in Computer Engineering
Read more - Salary/Pay
Salary Outlook with a Master's in Computer Engineering
Read more - Top Schools
Best Online Master's Degree Programs in Computer Engineering
Read more
Which Computer Engineering Program Format Fits Your Goals?
Are you after chip and hardware design, embedded systems work, or something that overlaps heavily with computer science? Computer engineering programs cover all of that ground, and each format assumes a different background and career target. Enroll in the wrong one and you may end up bridging gaps that cost extra semesters. See which persona below describes your situation.
Which Computer Engineering Student Profile Fits You Best?
The Career Starter
You’ve recently finished your computer engineering, computer science, or electrical engineering bachelor’s and want deeper expertise in hardware-software systems before entering the workforce.
A full-time program with coursework spanning computer architecture, embedded systems, and digital design gets you hardware-adjacent technical depth that’s harder to pick up on the job than pure software skills. A hybrid format still gets you access to hardware labs for work with FPGAs or embedded boards that you can’t fully replicate remotely.
The Career Changer
You’re coming into computer engineering from computer science, software development, or electrical engineering, and need a program that doesn’t assume prior formal training in digital logic and computer architecture.
Confirm the program offers bridge coursework in digital logic, computer architecture, or embedded systems, since that’s the gap most software-background or EE-background applicants have. A fully online format lets you complete that groundwork while you’re still working in your current software or electrical role.
The Promotion Seeker
You’re already working as a hardware, firmware, or embedded systems engineer and want the technical depth and credential to move into a senior or staff engineering role.
A part-time, hybrid program lets you keep working while you take on advanced coursework in areas like computer architecture, VLSI, or embedded systems that you can apply directly to your current projects. Employers evaluating you for a senior or staff title will weigh that specialized depth more heavily than the master’s credential alone.
The Working Balancer
You’re working full-time as a computer engineer while managing family or other responsibilities and need a program that fits into evenings and weekends.
A fully online, asynchronous format lets you fit lectures and coursework around a demanding engineering schedule rather than a fixed class time. Part-time pacing keeps the degree manageable alongside a full-time job and outside commitments.
The Chip Design Track
You’re drawn to the deepest hardware end of computer engineering — VLSI, ASIC, and FPGA design, or low-level embedded firmware for physical devices.
A VLSI or embedded systems concentration gives you specialized chip-design and firmware skills that a general computer engineering curriculum only touches on briefly, and this work is heavily tied to hands-on lab access to fabrication tools, FPGA boards, and test equipment. Unlike civil or mechanical engineering, computer engineering has no widely required PE track — NCEES discontinued its standalone Software PE exam in 2019, and the combined Electrical and Computer PE exam is rarely required in industry roles — so your career leverage here comes from technical depth and portfolio work, not licensure.
The AI/ML Hardware Track
You want to work at the intersection of computer architecture and artificial intelligence — designing or optimizing the hardware, like AI accelerators and GPUs, that machine learning models actually run on.
Look for coursework specifically in computer architecture for AI, GPU or accelerator design, or hardware-software co-design, since this is a newer specialization that a generic computer architecture course won’t fully cover. It’s one of the fastest-growing forks in computer engineering right now, driven by demand for engineers who understand both the chip and the workload running on it.
While earning an online computer engineering master’s degree can be demanding, your search for a quality program doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re looking for a promotion, career jump, or simply additional knowledge, this guide will help you find the best online computer engineering master’s degree programs. It also answers key questions about what you’ll learn, how much your degree might cost, and your career options after graduation.
FIND PROGRAMS NEAR YOU:
Inside 3 Popular Online Master’s Programs in Computer Engineering
A master’s degree requires a significant investment of time and money. Finding a program that’s accredited, flexible, and affordable takes research, so we’ve done some of the legwork for you.
North Carolina State University
NC State’s online MS in Computer Engineering is a streamlined 30-credit program covering computer architecture, cybersecurity, error control, and more.
The degree must be completed within six years, with no absence longer than one year. Admission requires a GRE score, an accredited bachelor’s degree in computer or electrical engineering, and other standard application materials.
Boston University
Boston University’s online MS in Computer Engineering consists of 32 credits, with a significant portion made up of chosen electives. Students can specialize in computer communications and networks, hardware and computer architecture, software, or cybersecurity.
The program is highly flexible, allowing students to pursue their specific interests. To complete the degree, students must finish a practicum that gives them hands-on, real-world experience.
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech’s online MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering is another 30-credit option, requiring a bachelor’s degree, letters of recommendation, and a 3.0 GPA to apply.
The curriculum emphasizes applying algorithms for engineering, system programming, and microcomputer design — skills that make graduates highly marketable. While the program is designed as a terminal degree, it also provides a strong foundation for students who wish to pursue a PhD.
Why Earn an Online Master’s in Computer Engineering?
Pursuing a master’s degree over stopping at a bachelor’s offers meaningful advantages, from salary leverage to broader career opportunities.
1. Flexibility
An online computer engineering program means you don’t have to relocate or disrupt your current life. You can earn your degree from anywhere — at home, on your schedule — while continuing to work and build experience.
2. Career Advancement
Whether you’re aiming for a promotion or a career change, a master’s degree gives you an edge. It opens doors that a bachelor’s degree alone often can’t, and signals to employers that you’ve committed to deepening your expertise.
What You’ll Learn in a Computer Engineering Master’s Program
Computer engineering is technical and demanding. Graduate coursework typically covers the theoretical foundations of programming languages, algorithms, abstract interpretation, performance modeling, and software systems.
Popular Courses
Protection of Power Systems
Covers how to protect computing hardware and components — including coils, resistors, and condensers — and teaches students to differentiate between protective relay types such as directional, differential, and distance relays.
Digital Signal Processing
Explores the theory of digital signals and core processing concepts: discrete Fourier series, linear and circular convolution, discrete Fourier transforms, fast Fourier transforms, and digital filter design.
Wireless Communications
Addresses technical problems and solutions in physical and link-layer wireless system design, including digital modulation techniques, channel characteristics, and related engineering challenges.
Transients in Power Systems
Covers advanced topics including interruption arcs, restriking voltage, harmonic oscillations, saturated systems, switching of rotational systems, and magnetic saturation in stationary networks.
Control System Components
Examines the practical and theoretical requirements for analog and digital control systems, covering amplifiers, sensors, encoders, actuators, and related components.
Specialization Options
A concentration lets you narrow your focus to an area that aligns with your professional goals, giving you expertise that sets you apart from general computer engineering graduates.
Hardware and Computer Architecture
For those interested in the physical side of computing. This concentration focuses on designing and building the hardware components that make computers function.
Computer Communications and Networks
Covers the design, programming, optimization, and repair of both hardware and software within networks — a skill set in demand across nearly every industry.
Software
Similar to software engineering, this specialization guides students through designing high-performance programs, embedded systems, and software platforms at an advanced level.
Cybersecurity
Focuses on protecting digital data, networks, and physical hardware from attacks and unauthorized access — one of the fastest-growing and highest-demand areas in the field.
Accreditation for Online Master’s in Computer Engineering
Accreditation is one of the most important factors to check before enrolling. It signals that a program meets established academic standards and ensures your degree will be recognized by employers and licensing bodies.
Before committing to a program, confirm it holds accreditation from a recognized regional or national accrediting body.
Salary Outlook with a Master’s in Computer Engineering
A master’s in computer engineering prepares you to design and develop the hardware that makes modern computing possible — from processors and memory systems to embedded devices and network infrastructure. Graduates work as hardware engineers, VLSI designers, systems architects, and embedded systems developers at semiconductor companies, tech giants, defense contractors, and consumer electronics firms. The degree is essential for research and advanced design roles.
Computer hardware engineers are among the better-compensated professionals in technology, with advanced degrees often opening doors to higher-level design and research positions. Earnings are strongest at major semiconductor and tech hardware companies.
Use the salary table below to explore computer hardware engineer earnings by state, and benchmark the financial landscape for hardware engineering careers.
Computer Hardware Engineers
| Area | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | $161,740 | $202,990 | $225,330 |
| Alabama | $136,990 | $163,750 | $195,190 |
| Arizona | $158,280 | $168,610 | $218,440 |
| Arkansas | $120,290 | $158,700 | $166,450 |
| California | $185,180 | $219,980 | $281,210 |
| Colorado | $156,080 | $186,260 | $222,220 |
| Delaware | $135,690 | $170,160 | $200,240 |
| District of Columbia | $163,360 | $195,190 | $211,950 |
| Florida | $134,160 | $167,690 | $203,510 |
| Georgia | $100,210 | $133,630 | $165,610 |
| Hawaii | $159,880 | $165,240 | $202,980 |
| Idaho | $131,570 | $169,540 | $212,880 |
| Illinois | $133,220 | $165,360 | $210,100 |
| Indiana | $98,350 | $116,850 | $136,970 |
| Iowa | $125,120 | $161,740 | $187,980 |
| Kansas | $101,750 | $133,050 | $145,800 |
| Kentucky | $116,200 | $126,180 | $128,050 |
| Louisiana | $83,550 | $102,390 | $150,290 |
| Maryland | $152,730 | $184,880 | $198,300 |
| Massachusetts | $167,600 | $210,910 | $258,880 |
| Michigan | $119,670 | $164,110 | $176,700 |
| Minnesota | $134,300 | $158,450 | $176,340 |
| Mississippi | $78,320 | $107,950 | $140,650 |
| Missouri | $103,980 | $130,490 | $150,050 |
| Nebraska | $134,950 | $157,620 | $173,350 |
| Nevada | $116,530 | $126,790 | $155,020 |
| New Hampshire | $129,140 | $174,140 | $202,720 |
| New Jersey | $142,880 | $188,340 | $210,900 |
| New Mexico | $165,350 | $197,670 | $204,150 |
| New York | $163,470 | $205,580 | $224,490 |
| North Carolina | $134,670 | $178,360 | $234,390 |
| Ohio | $118,160 | $151,690 | $196,680 |
| Oklahoma | $95,600 | $130,790 | $171,560 |
| Rhode Island | $119,510 | $144,910 | $158,570 |
| South Carolina | $125,110 | $139,930 | $171,540 |
| South Dakota | $101,400 | $131,210 | $150,110 |
| Tennessee | $130,830 | $163,960 | $167,030 |
| Texas | $163,860 | $203,100 | $216,260 |
| Utah | $106,950 | $134,140 | $168,320 |
| Virginia | $139,030 | $175,140 | $195,290 |
| Washington | $169,120 | $210,230 | $260,210 |
| Wisconsin | $83,670 | $103,640 | $172,820 |
Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm
Data does not reflect school-specific information.
Costs and Financial Aid
A master’s degree is a big financial commitment. Before you enroll, have a clear plan for how you’ll pay for it.
The good news: most accredited programs offer access to financial aid, including federal loans, scholarships, and employer tuition reimbursement. Contact each school’s financial aid office directly for current information on available options.
| Program | No. of Credits | Cost/Credit | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University | 30 | $446 | $13,380 |
| Boston University | 32 | $1,777 | $56,864 |
| Georgia Tech | 30 | $1,100 | $33,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Computer Engineering Master’s Degrees
Best Online Master’s Degree Programs in Computer Engineering
Kennesaw State University
Best for: advancement-focused students
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Best for: advancement-focused students
Fairfield University
Best for: working students
Illinois Institute of Technology
Best for: advancement-focused students
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Best for: chip design and embedded systems track students
The University of Texas at Arlington
Best for: advancement-focused students
Florida Atlantic University
Best for: chip design and embedded systems track students
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Best for: advancement-focused students
Utah State University
Best for: chip design and embedded systems track students
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Best for: working students
