Student interest in semiconductor-related degrees has nearly doubled since 2019, but universities are failing to expand fast enough to meet demand, according to a new global report from Studyportals.
The report, Semiconductor-related Higher Education and Employment, analyses programme data from 2019 to 2025 alongside employment outcomes for 310,000 international graduates between 2019 and 2024. Its findings point to a widening gap between student demand and institutional supply in one of the world’s most strategically important sectors.
Demand has doubled, supply has stalled
Between 2019 and 2025, student searches for chip-related programmes nearly doubled. However, programme growth has slowed dramatically since 2022, effectively flatlining in recent years.
The biggest imbalance is at master’s level.
- 60% of total student demand is for master’s programmes
- Yet master’s degrees account for only 30% of available programmes
The report describes this as the clearest and most urgent supply gap in semiconductor education globally.
As governments pour billions into semiconductor manufacturing to boost economic and national security, the bottleneck is no longer just factories. It is skilled graduates.
Why scaling is so difficult
Universities face significant structural barriers to expanding semiconductor education:
- Equipment used to train semiconductor engineers can cost hundreds of millions of dollars
- Facilities require specialised infrastructure and highly trained staff
- Traditional single-discipline degrees are no longer sufficient for chip jobs that demand cross-disciplinary expertise
Modern semiconductor roles increasingly require hybrid skills across electrical engineering, materials science, software engineering, embedded systems and manufacturing processes.
Who is driving demand?
While the United States and United Kingdom still offer the highest number of chip related programmes, student interest is shifting.
The fastest growing origin countries in terms of student demand include:
- China
- Tunisia
- Bangladesh
- Türkiye
- Italy
- The United States
The report notes cooling demand from India may reflect its domestic push toward semiconductor self sufficiency, including initiatives such as large scale engineer training programs and indigenous chip production.
For institutions seeking to grow international enrolments, emerging markets such as Bangladesh and Tunisia are identified as key recruitment opportunities.
Where graduates actually work
Despite the surge in semiconductor education demand, only around 20% of graduates from chip related programmes end up working directly in semiconductor manufacturing.
Most graduates are absorbed into five core industries:
- Appliances and electronics manufacturing (28%)
- Semiconductor manufacturing (20%)
- Computers and electronics manufacturing (24%)
- Renewable energy (11%)
- Other industries (17%)
Smaller but high value sectors such as defence and space manufacturing, computer hardware, research services and software development employ fewer graduates but often require highly specialised roles such as VLSI design and chip architecture.
A concentrated global talent market
Employment outcomes show a highly concentrated hiring landscape.
Just four companies account for more than one-third of graduate placements at top-tier firms:
- Apple
- ASML
- Infineon
- Intel
While Apple and Infineon have sustained strong demand for new talent, Intel and ASML experienced slowdowns after 2022 amid restructuring and supply chain adjustments. ASML has nevertheless announced plans in early 2026 to strengthen its engineering and innovation focus.
The broader market remains hierarchical, with firms such as Honeywell, Siemens Gamesa, Micron Technology and AMD hiring smaller but significant numbers of graduates.
The skills employers want
Across all semiconductor-related industries, the most common job titles are:
- Software engineer
- Electrical engineer
- Process engineer
- Project engineer
The report highlights how deeply interconnected hardware and software have become. Even roles in renewable energy are heavily tied to semiconductor technologies, particularly in grid systems and power electronics.
Chip manufacturing continues to rely heavily on specialised roles such as analog design engineers and application engineers, while consumer electronics companies hire a broader mix of engineers, data analysts and product specialists.
A strategic opportunity for universities
The report concludes that semiconductor education is now directly linked to national security, economic competitiveness and energy transition.
For universities, the most immediate opportunity lies in:
- Expanding master’s capacity
- Developing specialised programmes in areas such as nanotechnology and semiconductor fabrication
- Strengthening industry partnerships
- Building interdisciplinary pathways
As governments race to secure supply chains and boost domestic chip production, the pressure is shifting upstream to higher education.
The global chip war may be fought in factories and policy chambers, but its outcome will depend just as heavily on lecture theatres and laboratories.
See the report here.
