2023 Best Online Engineering Degrees

Overview of Online Engineering Degrees

Keeping the world's water supply safe, improving the country's transportation system, and inventing prosthetic devices all have something in common: They require the work of an engineer. There are online engineering programs available for students who want to do everything from constructing buildings and creating computer systems to protecting the public.

Most online schools for bachelor's degrees in engineering require undergraduates to complete 120-126 credit hours, which might take as little as four years of full-time attendance. Online engineering courses often require students to complete projects to gain hands-on experience in their chosen specialty. Many programs lead to a Bachelor of Applied Science, but there are also Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Engineering degrees.

What Is an Engineering Degree?

An engineering degree is a STEM major that integrates math, science, and business courses into its curriculum. You may begin by learning general engineering concepts and fundamentals before choosing from several specialties in your second year of study. Coursework includes general core classes, major core classes, and electives. Lessons are delivered via in-person or virtual class instruction, lab work, and hands-on learning opportunities such as internships.

Engineering student outcomes generally include the following:

• Identifying and solving complex engineering problems by applying science, math, and engineering skills

• Creating safe and sound solutions that benefit humankind and the environment

• Communicating effectively and demonstrating leadership skills

• Conducting work in an ethical and professionally responsible manner

• Working as a contributing and collaborative member of a team

Engineering Majors

Engineering is a broad term for methods of analyzing and solving problems and designing products and processes. Engineering techniques can apply to a variety of fields, giving prospective students a wide range of engineering majors to choose from. It's not unusual for a college of engineering to offer eight or more types of online engineering degrees across many areas of specialization, such as petroleum engineering, environmental engineering, nuclear engineering, and agricultural engineering. 

The most popular engineering specialties include those below:

Engineering Degree Levels

You can earn an associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in engineering. There are also certificates and diplomas available at the undergraduate level, often through trade schools and community colleges, and graduate-level certificates that help degree-holding engineers develop specialized skills. However, most jobs require a bachelor's degree to become an entry-level engineer.

Engineering Courses

All engineering programs require a healthy sense of curiosity alongside analytical skills in mathematics and science. With so many types of engineering, there's no single curriculum that applies for each kind of bachelor's degree. But most engineering programs will include coursework in calculus, physics, and design and process principles.

Read on for common classes that you might find in a wide range of engineering degree programs:

Careers in Engineering

You can find engineers in various industries, from healthcare to construction to information technology. Many lucrative engineering careers require only an undergraduate degree, although some graduates must also obtain professional licenses to practice. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects promising salary and job outlook projections for various engineering fields, including those below.

Do you want to advance in one of these engineering specialties but worry about graduate school tuition? Review our lists of the lowest cost master's degrees in engineering:

• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Aerospace Engineering
• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Computer Engineering
• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Electrical Engineering
• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Engineering Management
• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Industrial Engineering
• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Mechanical Engineering
• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Software Engineering
• Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Systems Engineering

Is an Online Engineering Degree Worth It?

A bachelor's degree in engineering is probably worth the cost and effort if you're passionate about becoming an engineer. This is because you'll nearly always need this credential to land your first entry-level job in the field. But you may want to weigh some of the additional pros and cons before committing to an online program.

Potential Benefits

• Engineers usually earn impressive salaries. Many engineering jobs require only a bachelor's degree to enter the field, and professionals typically work their way up to salaries in the high $90,000s and above. 

• Advanced engineering degrees often lead to even higher salaries. You may qualify for even more advanced, higher paying positions if you later earn an online master's degree.

• You can build strong leadership skills. You may take classes or even major in engineering management. Doing so can enable you to build the skills you'll need to motivate and advise others when working on large projects.

• You'll be learning work that may benefit society. Completing an engineering degree program can help you gain the skills and confidence necessary to eventually work on projects that positively impact the environment, energy consumption, medicine, or transportation.

Potential Drawbacks

• The engineering curriculum can be intense and demanding. STEM degrees can be intellectually challenging, and while this can be motivating for some, it may prove too difficult for others. It can also be difficult if you're trying to balance school with work and family, especially if you find it challenging to carve out time to study.

• Engineering is a highly competitive field. The BLS projects lower-than-average job growth rates for electrical and mechanical engineering specialties.

• You'll have to commit to lifelong learning. Technology changes at an alarming pace, and you'll have to keep up if you want to remain competitive in the job market. You may have to earn an additional degree and certification to keep pace with industry demands. Going back to school will take extra time and money.

• An engineering degree can be expensive. Some universities charge more for engineering degrees because the coursework is more complicated than other programs and requires costly materials. Schools pass these costs on to students resulting in additional fees.

FAQs About Engineering Degrees

What Else Should You Consider?

So many factors influence college decisions that it can be tough to keep track of them all. The questions below might give you a starting point to help you consider a bachelor's degree in engineering.

Is this college accredited?

This is a crucial question to ask upfront about any school. You should only consider accredited institutions because accreditation gives some assurance that a college periodically opens itself to an independent quality review. Enrolling at an accredited college also gives you more access to financial aid and makes it easier to transfer credits if you switch schools.

You can search the Department of Education's Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to find a school's accreditation details.

Is this degree program accredited?

Specialist agencies conduct programmatic accreditation in certain fields. For engineering, this the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). ABET accreditation is respected in each engineering field but it's more important in some than in others. In particular, you typically need an ABET-accredited degree to get a license to be a civil engineer, and some states may have similar licensing rules for other types of engineers.

ABET has a searchable database of accredited engineering programs. You can find both on-campus and online options there.

Do I want to enroll in an online degree?

Online degrees are convenient because you can work on your own time as long as you respect assignment and test due dates. This might make it easier to balance school with work and other responsibilities. But not everybody responds well to the looser structure of distance learning.

In addition, ABET accredits a relatively small number of online-only programs. This might make it hard to pursue an ABET-accredited online civil or aerospace engineering bachelor's degree, for example.

Read our Guide to Starting Your Online Education if you're curious about online learning and how it might suit you.

What else matters to me?

As a unique individual, the answer to this question depends on our circumstances. You can make a list of important considerations and compare them across schools. These variables can include virtual tutoring and writing help, digital library resources, well-known professors, high graduation and job placement rates, and an active alumni network.