Best Online Engineering Degrees 2021

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A degree in engineering opens career paths in diverse industries including aerospace, energy, information technology, and construction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recognizes and prepares employment reports on 18 engineering occupations. Entering such a broad professional arena, students choose a specific engineering subfield early in their academic journey.

The BLS groups architects and engineers under the same occupational category. It projects these professions to grow 3% from 2019-2029, about as fast as all occupations. The BLS reports that many of the projected 74,800 new jobs fall under the engineering occupations.

For students planning to pursue a degree in engineering, our guide offers information to help choose the best fit. We provide a ranking of 2021's top engineering programs, outline benefits of earning an engineering degree online, and highlight scholarship opportunities.

Online Engineering Program Q and A

Why Get a Degree in Engineering?

Jobs in many engineering subfields garner median annual salaries higher than the national median for all workers. Electrical and electronics engineers, chemical engineers, and aerospace engineers all earn median annual salaries above $100,000.

Several schools now offer online engineering programs, allowing students to earn a degree in an engineering subfield not offered in their home state. Online programs give enrollees the further advantage of a cheaper degree since they do not pay room and board.

How Much Does an Engineering Degree Cost?

National Center for Education Statistics data show 2018-19 attendance costs at public in-state schools came to $20,598. Students at private nonprofit institutions paid a considerably higher amount, $47,541 on average. The figures include tuition, required fees, and on-campus room and board. The cost of a bachelor's degree in engineering will likely approximate these amounts. However, engineering programs requiring laboratory training may cost more.

Most online students do not pay additional on-campus housing expenses, lowering the cost of attendance significantly. For tuition and fees only, learners at in-state public institutions paid an average of $9,212, while students at private nonprofit schools paid $34,758. Students should also take note of schools allowing out-of-state online enrollees to pay in-state tuition. Earning an engineering degree online can result in meaningful savings because of the substantial difference between resident and non-resident tuition.

How Much Do Engineering Majors Make?

As stated above, many engineering jobs garner higher-than-average salaries. Aspiring computer hardware engineers enter a professional arena with a median annual salary of $119,560. The top-paying industries for these professions include securities and financial investment companies, software publishers, and computer and equipment manufacturing companies. These employers pay mean annual salaries of $170,190, $164,270, and $147,220, respectively.

The BLS projects 10% growth for industrial engineers in 2019-2029, making it one of the fastest growing engineering subfields. The highest paying arenas for industrial engineers include crude oil pipeline transportation, telecommunications, and petroleum and coal products manufacturing. Industrial engineers at these companies earn mean annual salaries of $120,850, $114,920, and $113,800, respectively.

Courses in Engineering

Engineering encompasses a broad professional arena and, expectedly, no single curriculum can contain all the courses required for each specific subfield. Institutions offering the same degree in engineering often follow unique curricula designed to support their specific academic objectives.

Most engineering courses involve hands-on training through an internship experience or individual or group projects. The courses described below represent foundation classes offered in an engineering program's first half, before students focus on major-specific courses their junior and senior years.

• Engineering Economics

  Students learn how to apply economic principles and techniques in implementing engineering designs and decisions. The course teaches enrollees about feasibility studies, quantitative methods of assessment, and basic economic model building. Topics include the time value of money, equivalence, rate of return, and cash flows.

• Introduction to Engineering Analysis

  The class covers four main topics: linear and vector algebra, particle equilibrium, engineering applications, and rigid body equilibrium. Students learn to identify and analyze different internal and external force systems that affect particles and rigid bodies in static equilibrium. The course focuses on the application of computer-based matrix methods to solve engineering problems.

• Multivariable Calculus

  The course familiarizes students with a range of topics including partial derivatives, vector fields, double and triple integrals, and the divergence theorem. A core tool in applied mathematics, engineers apply this discipline's principles to computer graphics programming and civil engineering when building large projects like airports and highways.

Certifications and Licensure for Engineering

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require engineers to acquire a license before working. Licensure requirements vary, so students should contact the state licensing board where they plan to work for specific criteria. Industry-recognized professional organizations issue certifications, often qualifying holders for increased responsibilities and leadership positions in specific subfields.

Scholarships for Engineering

Many schools offer STEM scholarships to attract and support the most promising students in science, technology, engineering, and math. Students pursuing a degree in engineering can find additional financial aid packages from state and federal government agencies. Professional organizations and private nonprofit groups with established ties to engineering also support students.

Best Online Engineering Programs 2021