Best Online Bachelor’s of Electrical and Computer Engineering Degree Programs for 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE BACHELOR'S IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING

By Dr. Winston Ewert and Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Jenn Finley

Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find top-ranked online bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering degree programs to help students pursue high-earning careers as electrical, computer, and software engineers in a wide range of fields including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and more.

Top 10 Online Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering Degrees

University of Arizona
Stony Brook University
Florida International University
Old Dominion University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Excelsior University
Thomas Edison State University
Bluefield State University
National University
Daytona State College

University of Arizona
Stony Brook University
Florida International University
Old Dominion University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
National University
Thomas Edison State University
Daytona State College
Bluefield State University
Excelsior University

Bluefield State University 97%
Old Dominion University 95%
University of Arizona 87%
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 80%
Florida International University 64%
Stony Brook University 49%

Florida International University 24 to 1
Excelsior University 23 to 1
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 20 to 1
Stony Brook University 19 to 1
University of Arizona 17 to 1
Daytona State College 16 to 1
National University 16 to 1
Old Dominion University 16 to 1
Thomas Edison State University 15 to 1
Bluefield State University 14 to 1

National University $13,320
University of Arizona $11,210
Bluefield State University $8,840
Thomas Edison State University $7,372
Old Dominion University $7,239
Stony Brook University $7,070
Florida International University $4,721
University of North Carolina at Charlotte $3,812
Daytona State College $3,072

National University $15,912
University of Arizona $12,348
Thomas Edison State University $12,150
Stony Brook University $11,310
Old Dominion University $10,519
Florida International University $9,119
Bluefield State University $8,840
University of North Carolina at Charlotte $4,337

Daytona State College
National University
Bluefield State University
Thomas Edison State University
Excelsior University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Old Dominion University
Florida International University
Stony Brook University
University of Arizona

Excelsior University
Bluefield State University
Daytona State College
Thomas Edison State University
National University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Old Dominion University
Florida International University
Stony Brook University
University of Arizona

Stony Brook University 49%
Florida International University 64%
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 80%
University of Arizona 87%
Old Dominion University 95%
Bluefield State University 97%

Bluefield State University 14 to 1
Thomas Edison State University 15 to 1
Daytona State College 16 to 1
National University 16 to 1
Old Dominion University 16 to 1
University of Arizona 17 to 1
Stony Brook University 19 to 1
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 20 to 1
Excelsior University 23 to 1
Florida International University 24 to 1

Daytona State College $3,072
University of North Carolina at Charlotte $3,812
Florida International University $4,721
Stony Brook University $7,070
Old Dominion University $7,239
Thomas Edison State University $7,372
Bluefield State University $8,840
University of Arizona $11,210
National University $13,320

University of North Carolina at Charlotte $4,337
Bluefield State University $8,840
Florida International University $9,119
Old Dominion University $10,519
Stony Brook University $11,310
Thomas Edison State University $12,150
University of Arizona $12,348
National University $15,912

Featured Programs

Key Takeaways

An online bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) combines the two major and related disciplines of engineering.
With a keen interest in engineering, mathematics, the sciences, computer science, and related disciplines, a student can become a proficient ECE professional.
While certain electrical engineering programs and computer engineering online programs are offered in a strictly online format, most do require laboratory and field work to acquire skills in real-life settings.

Table of Contents

All About the Electrical and Computer Engineering Degree and Career

Because the electrical and computer engineering field has endless applications, the demand for professionals in this area is also growing over time.

A bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) is a combination of two major and related engineering disciplines. This allows students to develop an extensive overview of both fields, with a specific focus on where they overlap.

The online bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering pairs electrical engineering, including electromagnetism, electronics, and electricity, with computer engineering, the development and design of computer hardware, along with the codes controlling it.

Online Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Accreditation

Like most engineering specialties, the electrical and computer engineering programs have accreditation from a national body, provided that they meet specific requirements.

An electrical engineering program and computer engineering program that meets rigid eligibility requirements can be accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission through the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET), the national accreditation body for programs that involve engineering and technology.

ABET is also the umbrella organization for different agencies that focus on the advancements in education in engineering, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Although you can attend a program without accreditation from IEEE and ABET, this is a requirement for obtaining a license in Professional Engineering. When you come from an accreditation program, this can help you with better employment prospects after your complete your degree.

Online Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Specialization

Although most ECE program’s curriculum primarily focus on electrical and computer engineering, they are not identical across the board. However, there are some subjects and courses that ECE students should expect to tackle throughout their studies.

For instance, undergraduate students for the online bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering, together with general elective courses, are likely to study the following:

Physics and Calculus
Electronics and Design
Introduction to Circuits
Differential Equations
Digital Logic
Computer Organization
Digital Systems
Other electives related to engineering and computing

Those in graduate school are also likely to cover these topics, although most programs no longer require master’s students to take elective courses. Instead, they need to have more research-based courses that lead to a paper publication upon completion.

Online Bachelor’s in ECE Coursework

Unlike most general engineering bachelor’s degree programs, the coursework for the online bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering program is more specialized.

Students will have to complete the foundational coursework in calculus, chemistry, and physics on top of their classes in electronics, electrical systems, digital signal processing, electrical equipment, electromagnetics, communication systems, and power systems. Most of these require some laboratory and field study.

Learning Outcomes for the Online Electrical Engineering and Computer Programming

When you complete your bachelor’s in electrical and computer programming degree, you should be able to:

Recognize, articulate, and solve critical communications systems problems in engineering by using the principles of science, engineering, and mathematics.
Use engineering design in producing solutions that will meet the specific needs of a problem with considerations of safety, public health, and welfare, as well as cultural, global, social, economic, and environmental factors.
Effectively communicate with a wide audience.
Identify the professional and ethical obligations in engineering situations before making informed judgments. These judgments must also consider the impact of the solutions in societal, environmental, economic, and global contexts.
Work effectively with your team. You should also know how to create an inclusive and collaborative environment, plan tasks, establish goals, and meet your team’s objectives.
Acquire and conduct the right experimentation, use engineering judgments when drawing conclusions, or analyze and interpret data.
Acquire and apply the latest knowledge in the field when necessary, using the right learning strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions About Electrical and Computer Engineering Degrees

With programs offered both online and in person, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering is a great option for students with strong math, science, and design skills.

This degree consists of roughly 120 credits, which can typically be completed in four years.

During their coursework, students will gain an understanding of the practices, principles, and theories that make up electrical engineering and how those elements can be applied to computer systems.

Additionally, a heavy emphasis will be placed on mathematics and design principles, challenging students to investigate the relationship between computer hardware and software.

Upon graduation, students can pursue high-earning careers as electrical, computer, and software engineers in a wide range of fields including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and more.

Learn more about how to major in engineering.

How do we determine the best online electrical and computer engineering bachelor's degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

How We Ranked Today’s Excellent Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Programs

Engineering on its own is a broad discipline. Electrical and computer engineering is a specific area of study encompassing the two fields wherein the principles and applications are relevant to each practice. Choosing excellent electrical and computer online programs entails carefully evaluating their features!

On our list are today’s most outstanding online bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering degrees characterized by rigorous online program courses. Students learn the many facets of the discipline, allowing the future electrical engineers to learn how they apply to the real world.

The online programs also mold prospective students to become the finest analysts, problem-solvers, and communicators, allowing them to excel professionally with the right mindset and attitude toward work.

Influential figures in electrical and computer engineering make up the teaching staff of the online programs on our list. The professors are terminal degree holders and seasoned engineers in the electrical and computer fields.

The online electrical and computer engineering programs that made it to our list are all regionally accredited by academic organizations and maintain a close affiliation with industry associations.

10 Best Online Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Computer Engineering Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Computer Engineering

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $12,286
Avg. Expenses*: $18,804
Avg. Starting Salary*: $78,669
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $95,842
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 7 years
Job Growth: 15.35%
Number of Jobs: 2,479,400
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers	5.52%	$165,370
Computer Hardware Engineers	7.25%	$138,080
Database Architects	10.75%	$134,700
Software Developers	17.94%	$132,270
Computer Network Architects	13.44%	$129,840
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary	9.22%	$106,910
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers	11.80%	$101,800

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers	$165,370
Computer Hardware Engineers	$138,080
Database Architects	$134,700
Software Developers	$132,270
Computer Network Architects	$129,840
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary	$106,910
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers	$101,800

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Online Electrical Engineering Programs Looking for You

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require a time of adjustment. Although you’ll typically learn the same material and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, going online will require greater independence and responsibility than going in person. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, for harnessing the online educational technology that you’ll need to use, and for completing the course requirements, such as listening to lectures, learning lessons, reading texts, and handing in assignments. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take the initiative in building relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier than campus-based education is ease of access: all you need is a computer and an internet connection for online education. But even this seeming advantage of online education can be misleading: what’s easier, studying online with your computer and internet connection from your home where you need to cook, clean, pay rent, and maintain a job? Or studying on campus in a dorm where all your living needs are handled by the school, and college staff are there to help you every step of the way?

If you take the commute to campus out of the equation, campus-based education is easier. All the support structures available on campus for students, especially with real people to help you in person, are not there online. The demands on you as an online student will largely be the same as for your campus-based counterpart, but without the same helps.

In general, your online courses will present the same material and test you in the same way as traditional in-person courses. In many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning with remote educational technology for the first time, online college may be considerably more challenging than campus-based college. For a few insights on how to manage this new online experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable non-profit institutions on the one end and less-than-reputable for-profit institutions on the other end. Accreditation gives you the power to identify the more reputable actors in online education. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency indicating that a college or university is meeting standards of quality and credibility. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university that is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. For students seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that they opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree. For more on this important topic, check out our What is Accreditation and Why Does It Matter? College & University Accreditation Guide.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited (see the previous point), you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer of credits. In many cases, you will encounter some bureaucratic haggling in which some of your credits will be transferred and others may be refused. However, provided that you have attended an online school with recognized regional accreditation, you should be in good shape in transferring your credits earned online.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript, or resumé differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

Some employers may express the concern that because you did your degree online, you may need to transition from an online education experience to in-person workplace experience. But in an age of Covid, that concern seems much diminished. The fact is that much employment these days is remote. And collaboration increasingly happens online over Zoom. Many employers will therefore view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will be less than ideal for you (though depending on your circumstances, it may also be the only viable option).

While there is much in traditional campus-based education that can be substituted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing that can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual in-person classroom setting. As you transition to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face in getting the most out of your online classes is overcoming this difference between “real reality” and “virtual reality.” Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. Above all, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete at your own pace and on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Bachelor’s of Electrical and Computer Engineering Degree Programs for 2024

Top 10 Online Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering Degrees

Featured Programs

Key Takeaways

All About the Electrical and Computer Engineering Degree and Career

Online Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Accreditation

Online Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Specialization

Online Bachelor’s in ECE Coursework

Learning Outcomes for the Online Electrical Engineering and Computer Programming

Frequently Asked Questions About Electrical and Computer Engineering Degrees

Why get a bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering?

How long does it take to get a bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering?

What will I learn while getting a bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering?

What can I do with a bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering?

How We Ranked Today’s Excellent Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Programs

10 Best Online Bachelor’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at University of Arizona

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at Stony Brook University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at Florida International University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at Old Dominion University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at Thomas Edison State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at Bluefield State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at National University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Computer Engineering degree at Daytona State College

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Students with Computer Engineering Degree

Computer Engineering

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Career Salaries

Top Industries

Online Electrical Engineering Programs Looking for You

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier than campus-based college?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+

Resources for Online College-Bound Students