The optimal design for stiffened laminated composite cylindrical panels under axial compression was studied using linear and nonlinear deformation theories by finite difference energy methods. Various panel structures was made from Carbon/Epoxy USN125 prepreg and considered 3 types stiffeners. Optimal design analyses of panel structure are carried out by the nonlinear search optimizer, ADS. This optimal design results are compared to the FEM result using ANSYS.