Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Advanced engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an advanced engineer. Advanced engineers usually study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or business. 66% of advanced engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 472 real advanced engineer resumes to see exactly what advanced engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for advanced engineers are the Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Technological University.
There are also many online advanced engineer courses to help get the education required to be an advanced engineer.
What education do you need to become an advanced engineer?
What degree do you need to be an advanced engineer?
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 12%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an advanced engineer?
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for advanced engineers
| Advanced engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Michigan Technological University | 9.41% |
| Northeastern University | 9.41% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 9.41% |
| University of Massachusetts - Lowell | 5.88% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 5.88% |
Best majors for advanced engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 28.7% |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering | 19.2% |
| 3 | Business | 6.5% |
| 4 | Chemical Engineering | 6.5% |
| 5 | Computer Science | 5.9% |
Best colleges for advanced engineers
The best colleges for advanced engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
An advanced engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for advanced engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become advanced engineers.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
3. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
20 best online courses for advanced engineers
Advertising disclosure
1. Software Engineering
Software development is not just about coding, it also involves the application of scientific knowledge and well-defined engineering techniques to produce maintainable, scalable, cost-effective and on-schedule software products. This specialization covers software engineering methodologies, techniques, and tools for planning, capturing requirements, designing, implementing, testing, and maintaining large-scale software systems. It combines scientific and technological knowledge with many...
2. Applied Software Engineering Fundamentals
If you want to enter the exciting world of software development, this Software Engineering Foundations Specialization is for you. No prior degrees or knowledge of programming or application development are necessary. Software Developers are in great demand earning a median salary of US$110,140 per year according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The field is growing at a rate of 22% making it a great time to start a career in software engineering.. The self-paced courses in this program...
3. Quality Assurance Mastery - Manual Software Testing
Become Quality Assurance Engineer as a Complete Beginner. QA Masterclass for Junior QA Engineers...
4. Practical - ISTQB - Test Automation Engineer Course 2023
Learn the concepts, methods and tools to pass the ISTQB - Advanced Level - Test Automation Engineer Certification Exam...
5. Engineering and Product Design Processes
Welcome to “Engineering and Product Design Processes!” In this short course, you will learn how engineering design processes and product design processes are carried out. After the course, you will be familiar with the steps in both design processes. You will also be familiar with the main goal of each design process, as well as their similarities and differences...
6. Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Practice Tests
Pass the Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Exam...
7. Software Engineering 101: Plan and Execute Better Software.
Software Engineering 101: Use Software Engineering to Plan and Build Amazing Software + Learn SCRUM Framework!...
8. Complete Field Instrumentation Engineering Course
Flow, Level, Temperature and Pressure Instrument - Selection, Sizing, Calculation and Detail Engineering...
9. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Fundamentals and Advanced
Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Mechanics of Airplanes - Aerodynamics, Flight Maneuvers, JET Engines...
10. Automotive Engineering: Automobile Fundamentals and Advanced
Automotive & Vehicle Engineering: Master the Mechanics of Cars including Engine, Dynamics, Transmission, Chassis & More...
11. Requirements Engineering: Software Engineering
Everything you need to know about software requirements: elicitation, analysis, documentation, validation and management...
12. Data Engineering Essentials using SQL, Python, and PySpark
Learn key Data Engineering Skills such as SQL, Python, Apache Spark (Spark SQL and Pyspark) with Exercises and Projects...
13. Unreal Engine 4 C++ The Ultimate Game Developer Course
Learn how to develop, code and package a complete video game in Unreal Engine...
14. Unreal Engine 5 C++ Multiplayer Shooter
Create a fast-paced, competitive multiplayer shooter in Unreal Engine 5 using C++!...
15. Complete Software Engineering Course with Python
Learn Python 3 with Software Engineering Concepts Learn Python GUI, Object Oriented Programming, Data Visualization.....
16. Reverse Engineering and Malware Analysis Fundamentals
Beginners' course on reverse engineering and malware analysis...
17. Unreal Engine C++ The Ultimate Shooter Course
Master Unreal Engine by Creating a Complete Shooter Game!...
18. Software Engineer Interview Unleashed
Learn how to make yourself ready for software engineer interviews from a former Google interviewer...
19. Reverse Engineering: Ghidra For Beginners
Learn Reverse Engineering Using Ghidra On Linux And Windows...
20. Product Development & Systems Engineering
The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...
Top 10 most affordable universities for advanced engineers
The most affordable schools for advanced engineers are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for advanced engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for advanced engineers.
1. United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$1,080
Cost of attendance
6,646
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for advanced engineers
The hardest universities for advanced engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for advanced engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for advanced engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
10. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for advanced engineers
The easiest schools for advanced engineers to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, oregon institute of technology, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an advanced engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for advanced engineers.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
5. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
10. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
Average advanced engineer salary by education level
| Advanced engineer education level | Advanced engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $94,780 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $87,326 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $77,249 |
Advanced engineer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
Search for advanced engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025