Computers and Technology
Fields of Study
Embry-Riddle Advantage
Computers are ever-present in today’s developed societies. We carry smartphones, amuse ourselves with video games, drive vehicles with embedded systems, and we manage our daily lives from computers that are interconnected throughout the world. And, the systems that control modern aircraft and spacecraft represent technology at the highest level.
Embry-Riddle’s computer-related degree programs are designed to ensure that graduates possess the knowledge and the skills that will make them standouts in the job market and in their careers.
To that end, undergraduates in our Computer, Software, and Electrical Engineering programs receive hands-on experience in world-class facilities beginning in their very first semester and culminating in a multidisciplinary capstone project that tests their skills.
Our Cyber Intelligence and Security students are trained in reality-based scenarios to teach them to defend software and computer networks against crippling cyber attacks.
Technical Management undergraduates and master’s students are taught the skills to marshal the resources of any organization toward its goals — regardless of their chosen discipline.
Employers choose Embry-Riddle graduates. That’s why students choose Embry-Riddle.
Degrees & Programs
For those beginning their higher education directly from high school and for those who have achieved some level of experience, there is a degree to help you achieve your goals.
No matter the level, from the associates to the master’s degrees, the Computers and Technology programs at Embry-Riddle are designed to teach you the real-world skills necessary to succeed in today’s technologically advanced workplace.
And if you’re already working full-time, you can select a program that allows you to attend classes online or part time.
Explore our programs to see which is right for you.
Associate
Master’s
Professional Education
Review our non-credit continuing education offerings at proed.erau.edu.
Career Outlook
Just how important are high-level computer skills? Top aerospace companies like The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman employ more electrical, computer, software, and systems engineers than aerospace engineers.
Not only are graduates with computer-related degrees in demand, they are well compensated. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, among the 10 top-paying majors for 2013-14 were computer science, which ranked second at $67,300 annually, computer engineering fourth at $66,600, and electrical engineering seventh at $62,300.
Specific positions in computer-related fields earn hefty annual salaries, such as software developers ($104,480), computer programmers ($80,930), information security analysts ($91,210), computer network architects ($97,700), computer hardware engineers ($106,930), and electrical engineers ($93,380), according to the Department of Labor statistics.
Cyber Intelligence and Security graduates can expect both high wages and to be in high demand in the job market. According to the Department of Labor, the 2012 median pay for information security analysts was $86,170, and the workforce is expected to grow by 37 percent between 2012-2022 — a 26 percent greater increase than the projected growth of the national workforce for that period.
Average starting salary for graduates with a bachelor's degree in 2013-14, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers
Research
Students and faculty in Embry-Riddle’s computer-related fields are doing industry-changing research at our Daytona Beach (Fla.), Prescott (Ariz.), and Worldwide campuses. Read about some featured projects below, or search for more at erau.edu/research.
Visual Guidance Remote Airport Lighting Systems
This project aims at developing low-cost/low-power lighting systems that can be deployed at remote airports. Lighting at rural airports is much needed as they give communities they serve a transportation link during time-critical situations such as emergency medical services. However, those communities may not have sufficient infrastructure to provide reliable low cost power for lighting. A low cost lighting system will improve the community safety during times of both normal and critical operations.
The S-Band Array for Bistatic Electromagnetic Ranging (SABER)
Faculty in the Electrical, Computer, Software, and Systems Engineering Department at Embry-Riddle are developing new radar that may alter the paradigm of locating aircraft. Unlike standard radars that generate high-power radio pulses and listen for the return echoes indicating aircraft, the SABER system has no transmitter of its own. Instead, the researchers use weak echoes of signals from existing satellites high above the Earth to locate their quarry.
ADS-B Payload for a Re-entry Space Vehicle
For this project, Embry-Riddle faculty and students are collaborating with Terminal Velocity Aerospace as a subcontractor a project funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. An ADS-B payload produced as part of funded research with the FAA Commercial Space Operations Office shall be refined and eventually integrated into a low-cost Earth re-entry vehicle.
Learning Environments
Some of the most modern and high-tech laboratories and equipment in the academic world can be found at Embry-Riddle.
