Seventy-five percent of alumni saw a career impact within 12 months.
That’s the kind of return on investment most professionals hope for when they enroll in an online program.
In a 2025 survey of alumni from the online certificate program Architecture and Systems Engineering: Models and Methods to Manage Complex Systems, learners reported tangible, often immediate gains: new responsibilities, salary increases, job offers, and promotions.
Nearly 9 in 10 said they’d talk about the program in a future job interview, a clear sign that the skills they gained are relevant and valuable. More than 14,000 professionals have completed the Architecture and Systems Engineering program. Organizations like Ford, BAE, Rivian, Jaguar Land Rover, Shell, Whirlpool, and the US Navy have integrated it into training initiatives.
The most recent career impact figures have continued the trends reported by prior alumni from the program in 2021, a testament to the program’s enduring value. Through years of global disruption and rapid technological change, the program continues to equip engineers and technical leaders with the skills to advance confidently in their careers.
Career Impact Comes in Many Forms
Participants have seen a number of positive changes after participating in the program, from promotions, pay raises, job changes, to new leadership opportunities. In many cases, learners reported multiple types of professional impact, often within months of finishing the program.
Gaining new responsibilities (29%)
Nearly a third of respondents said they took on new responsibilities within their companies that extended beyond their previous roles.
Many shared that the program gave them the confidence to lead systems engineering activities.
"The program helped me gain confidence in my knowledge and experience in systems engineering, so I'm more active and vocal on the projects I work on. This helped me gain new, more strategic responsibilities," said Juan Carlos Pamanes, who is currently a Robotic Systems Architect at Autonomous Solutions Inc (ASI).
The results weren’t just personal; they were measurable. One participant shared that the productivity gains reduced departmental spend at their organization by 300%.
Earning raises (13%) and promotions (10%)
Annual salaries for systems engineers in the United States averaged $120,000, and ranged as high as $200,000. Strengthening systems engineering skills is one way to boost earning potential, as some respondents experienced firsthand.
Thirteen percent of alumni reported receiving a salary increase within their companies. Of those that earned a raise, the raise was greater than 10% for 43% of participants.
One in ten respondents earned a promotion after completing the program. For many, that promotion was a direct result of taking the initiative to apply systems thinking to high-stakes challenges.
“Using the knowledge that I learned from the program, I was able to propose key improvement ideas and implement them to increase the quality of my company’s products, increase the efficiency of working methods, and reduce errors during product development,” reported Quoc Huy Nguyen, Lead Engineer - Product Development at Wartsila Gas Solutions.
Making a career move (11% job offer / 16% new job)
“One of the things that has become abundantly clear is that the speed of technological change is causing more and more people to make career pivots twice and three times during their lifetimes,” said Dr. Bruce Cameron, Faculty Director of the program. “We are very fortunate at MIT to catalyze many of those career pivots.”
Alumni said the program gave them the credibility and technical fluency to pursue—and, in many cases, obtain—new roles at different companies: 11% received a job offer from a different company, and 16% started a new job at a different company. According to Cameron Ylitalo, who is currently an Enterprise Architect for the Upgraded Early Warning Radar Product Division of the US Space Force:
“I believe the certificate added clout to my resume. I received a ~12% increase in pay by moving to another company after obtaining this certification.”
The World Needs More Systems Engineering Experts
As systems become more complex, the value of systems engineering is growing.
Designing systems like Battery Electric Vehicles, drones, and wind turbines often involves optimizing performance across multiple complex domains. In many cases, a gain in one area means losses in another. Systems engineering can help with both challenges: improving performance and assessing trade-offs.
In wind turbine design, for instance, teams must optimize dynamic, structural, and gearbox performance to achieve a 1-2% gain in overall system performance.
Dr. Cameron points to the design of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as a lesson in trade-offs. “While there have been significant improvements in battery technology, most people don’t see the behind-the-scenes work to optimize rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag, given that designers of BEVs must be circumspect about how they utilize their power budgets,” he explained.
Building Skills That Stand the Test of Time
Teams that complete the program together, including hundreds of participants from each of Ford, BAE, Whirlpool, and the US Navy, consistently see large-scale organizational improvements. According to Dave Koukol, who is a Director in the Center for Digital, Systems, & Mission Engineering at the University of Dayton Research Institute,
“The improved perspective and understanding helped me and my colleagues (who also took the course) effectively develop and lead team members in MBSE and general SE principles, secure new work, and grow our respective pieces of the organization. We've grown to the extent that we have created an entire new division around Digital, Systems, and Mission Engineering (which I lead). Two of my direct reports have established new groups (promotions for them) around Applied Digital Solutions and Applied Systems Engineering.”
In 2026, the systems engineering program will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
“We’re now starting to see alumni who have risen through the ranks of their organizations since they participated in the program,” said Dr. Cameron. "It is very important to me that the skills and knowledge we are teaching are not just for the near term, but that they can also help people with their second and third promotions after the program. That to me is the real test of principles and long-lived knowledge."
Across industries and roles, the knowledge and skills gained from the systems engineering program continue to pay off. For professionals wondering if now is the right time to take the next step and enroll in the program, the data speaks for itself.