by our College Data Analytics TeamTelecommunications Engineering was the 916th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 133 degrees in this year alone. This 45 less than the prior year, a decrease of 33.8%.
This year's Best Telecommunications Engineering Schools ranking compares 5 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom telcom engineering rankings further below.
A major in telcom engineering prepares you for careers in which using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems is crucial. Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents and giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times are all required skills for careers related to this major.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most telcom engineering degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Once you obtain your degree, additional telcom engineering certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are various different levels of telcom engineering degrees. Telecommunications Engineering programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest telcom engineering degree you can get. Telecommunications Engineering programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to telcom engineering, with approximately 50.0% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for telcom engineering workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 54.1% |
| Master’s Degree | 14.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 12.6% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 5.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 4.8% |
About 89.3% of workers in careers related to telcom engineering obtain at least bachelor's degrees. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in telecommunications engineering careers have.
This of course varies depending on which telcom engineering career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your telcom engineering degree? Telecommunications Engineering careers are expected to grow 6.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to telecommunications engineering.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Electronics Engineers | 141,300 | 3.7% |
| Engineers | 141,000 | 6.4% |
| Engineering Professors | 54,600 | 14.7% |
As you might expect, salaries for telcom engineering graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for telecommunications engineering graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers telcom engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Engineering Professors | $113,680 |
| Electronics Engineers | $107,930 |
| Engineers | $99,410 |
With over 23 different telcom engineering degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased telcom engineering school rankings to help you with this.
One of 3 majors within the Electrical Engineering area of study, Telecommunications Engineering has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | 28,166 |
| Other Electrical Engineering | 424 |
| Optical Enginering | 121 |
