Last updated: June 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. See our review methodology.
Printed circuit boards are inside almost every electronic device, and someone has to design them. PCB design is a practical, well-paid skill — useful whether you’re an electrical engineer, a hardware startup founder, an Arduino hobbyist who wants to graduate from breadboards, or a freelancer chasing contract work. The good news for learners: it’s very learnable online, the core tools have free tiers, and a focused course plus a few real board projects can get you genuinely competent.
The main decision is which software to learn — Altium, Autodesk Eagle, KiCad, and OrCAD all have their place, and the right course depends on your tool and your goal. We checked the most-recommended PCB design courses for which are current, which teach a tool worth your time, and which actually walk you through designing a real board. Here are the picks worth taking in 2026, plus a clear-eyed guide to choosing your software.
QUICK VERDICT
Bottom line: Start with Crash Course Electronics and PCB Design on Udemy — at 4.7 from 19,000+ students and refreshed in 2026, it’s the most complete beginner-to-capable course, covering both the electronics theory and the board design. Then learn one tool well: KiCad if you want free and future-proof, Altium if you’re aiming at industry.
- Best overall: Crash Course Electronics and PCB Design (Udemy)
- Best for Eagle/hobbyists: The Art and Science of PCB Design with Eagle (Udemy)
- Best free: Altium Education + KiCad’s own tutorials + Phil’s Lab on YouTube
- Best university option: Mastering PCB Design and Layout (Coursera)
- Skip if: you want a no-soldering, theory-only path — this is hands-on by nature
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Best PCB design courses in 2026, at a glance
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| Course | Provider | Tool | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crash Course Electronics and PCB Design | Udemy | Multi / Eagle | 4.7 (19k) | Complete beginner start |
| The Art and Science of PCB Design with Eagle | Udemy | Autodesk Eagle | 4.2 (1.1k) | Eagle & hobbyists |
| Mastering PCB Design and Layout | Coursera | General | 4.6 (new) | A university certificate |
| Electronics Fundamentals | Pluralsight | Theory | Subscription | Electronics theory first |
| Altium Education | Altium | Altium | Free | Learning industry Altium |
Ratings and “last updated” dates verified on each platform in June 2026. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and we only feature courses we’d recommend to a friend.
The best PCB design courses, reviewed
1. Crash Course Electronics and PCB Design — Udemy (best overall)
This is the one to start with. Rated 4.7 from more than 19,000 students and updated in 2026, it’s an enormous, genuinely comprehensive course (well over 100 hours) that does something most PCB courses skip: it teaches the electronics as well as the design. You learn circuit theory, components, and analog/digital fundamentals, then move into schematic capture and board layout. That depth is exactly what beginners need — designing a board you don’t understand electrically is how you ship a board that doesn’t work. It’s a serious time commitment and the sheer scope can feel daunting, but for the money it’s the most complete foundation available. Start here, then specialize into a specific tool.
2. The Art and Science of PCB Design with Autodesk Eagle — Udemy (best for Eagle)
A focused, tool-specific course (4.2 rating, updated 2026) that walks you through PCB design in Autodesk Eagle — long a favorite of hobbyists and makers for its approachable interface. It’s a practical, project-based way to get from schematic to manufacturable board in Eagle specifically. One important caveat to know going in: Autodesk is winding Eagle down and folding its capabilities into Fusion 360’s electronics workspace. The skills transfer, and Eagle remains usable, but if you’re choosing a tool for the long term, KiCad or Altium are more future-proof bets. Take this if you specifically want Eagle or are already in the Autodesk ecosystem.
3. Mastering PCB Design and Layout — Coursera (best for a university certificate)
If you want a structured, certificate-bearing option, this three-course Coursera specialization covers PCB design and layout fundamentals with the credibility of a Coursera credential. It’s a newer listing — it carries a 4.6 rating but on only a handful of reviews so far, so treat the score as early signal rather than settled consensus. You can audit the courses free and pay only for the certificate. A reasonable pick if a recognized credential matters more to you than a specific tool deep-dive, or if you prefer Coursera’s structured pacing.
View the specialization on Coursera →
4. Electronics Fundamentals — Pluralsight (best for theory first)
If your electronics foundation is shaky, shore it up before you lay out a board. Pluralsight’s electronics fundamentals and Eagle/circuit-design courses are concise, well-produced, and a good fit if you already subscribe (or your employer does). They won’t take you all the way to a finished board on their own, but as a reference layer — components, circuit basics, how to think about a design before you route it — they complement the project-based Udemy courses well. Best for working professionals topping up specific knowledge rather than absolute beginners.
PCB design software: Altium vs Eagle vs KiCad vs OrCAD
Your course choice should follow your tool choice, so pick the tool first. The honest landscape in 2026:
- KiCad — free, open-source, and now genuinely professional-grade. It’s the best default for hobbyists, students, and startups, and increasingly used in industry. If you want one future-proof tool that costs nothing, learn KiCad.
- Altium Designer — the industry heavyweight for professional and complex boards. Expensive, but it’s what many companies use, so learning it is a strong career move. Altium’s own free Altium Education program is the best way to learn it without buying a license.
- Autodesk Eagle — long beloved by makers, but being absorbed into Fusion 360. Still fine to learn (the concepts transfer), just not the tool to bet your long-term skills on.
- OrCAD / Cadence — another professional-tier suite common in larger electronics firms, especially for high-speed and complex designs. Worth learning if you’re targeting roles that specify it.
For most people starting out: learn the fundamentals (the Crash Course above), then go deep on either KiCad (free, future-proof) or Altium (industry standard). The design principles — schematic capture, footprints, routing, design rules, manufacturing files — carry across every tool, so your first tool is a starting point, not a life sentence.
Free ways to learn PCB design
PCB design has unusually good free resources:
- Altium Education — free, structured courses from Altium itself, aimed at students and newcomers. The best free path if you want to learn the industry-standard tool.
- KiCad’s documentation and tutorials — thorough, official, and free, and since KiCad itself is free you can follow along end to end at no cost.
- Phil’s Lab (YouTube) — one of the best free channels for serious, practical PCB design, including mixed-signal and high-speed topics.
A genuinely free path exists: learn KiCad with its tutorials and Phil’s Lab, design a simple board, and order it from a low-cost fab for a few dollars. The paid courses mostly buy you structure and the electronics theory in one place — valuable, but not strictly required.
Is PCB design a good skill to learn?
Yes — it’s a durable, specialized skill with steady demand. Every electronic product needs boards designed, and the work spans employment (electrical and hardware engineering roles) and freelancing (contract PCB layout is a real market on Upwork and specialist platforms). It pairs especially well with adjacent skills: an Arduino or embedded background plus PCB design lets you take a project from breadboard prototype to manufacturable product. The fastest way to make it pay is the same as in most technical fields — build a portfolio of real boards you’ve designed, fabricated, and ideally got working. One designed-and-built board says more than any certificate.
How to choose the right PCB design course
- Pick your tool first. KiCad for free and future-proof, Altium for industry, Eagle only if you specifically want it. Then choose a course that teaches that tool.
- Make sure it covers electronics, not just software. A course that teaches button-clicking without the underlying circuit theory will leave you designing boards that don’t work.
- Insist on a real project. The best courses end with you having designed a complete, manufacturable board — that’s the portfolio piece.
- Check it’s current. Tools change; look for a recent update date. Every pick here was verified current in 2026.
- Order a board. Whatever course you take, actually fabricate one design. Low-cost prototype fabs make this cheap, and nothing teaches like holding a board you designed.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best PCB design course?
For most people, Crash Course Electronics and PCB Design on Udemy is the best starting point — rated 4.7 from over 19,000 students and updated in 2026, it teaches both the electronics theory and the board design comprehensively. After it, learn one tool deeply: KiCad (free) via its tutorials, or Altium via the free Altium Education program.
Which software should I learn for PCB design?
KiCad is the best default — it’s free, open-source, professional-grade, and future-proof. Learn Altium if you’re targeting industry roles (use the free Altium Education to learn it). Autodesk Eagle is being merged into Fusion 360, so it’s no longer the tool to bet on long-term, and OrCAD/Cadence is worth learning only if a target employer specifies it.
Can I learn PCB design for free?
Yes. Altium Education offers free structured courses, KiCad is free with thorough official tutorials, and channels like Phil’s Lab cover serious PCB design on YouTube. You can learn KiCad, design a board, and order it from a low-cost fab for a few dollars — a complete free-to-cheap path. Paid courses mainly add structure and bundle the electronics theory.
Do I need an engineering degree to design PCBs?
No. Plenty of hobbyists and self-taught designers produce working, manufacturable boards, and freelance PCB layout work is open to anyone who can demonstrate the skill. A degree helps for formal engineering roles, but for hobby projects, startups, and contract layout work, a strong portfolio of real boards matters far more than a credential.
How long does it take to learn PCB design?
You can design a simple working board within a few weeks of focused study. Reaching the point where you can confidently design more complex, multi-layer boards typically takes a few months of practice and several real projects. Learning the electronics fundamentals alongside the software is what separates designers who ship working boards from those who don’t.
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