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Bridge inspector education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a bridge inspector. Bridge inspectors usually study civil engineering, engineering, or civil engineering technologies. 49% of bridge inspectors hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 417 real bridge inspector resumes to see exactly what bridge inspector education sections show.
The most common colleges for bridge inspectors are the Clemson University and the Clemson University.
There are also many online bridge inspector courses to help get the education required to be a bridge inspector.
What education do you need to become a bridge inspector?
What degree do you need to be a bridge inspector?
- Bachelor's, 49%
- Associate, 27%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a bridge inspector?
- Civil Engineering, 38%
- Engineering, 10%
- Business, 6%
- Other Majors, 39%
Most common colleges for bridge inspectors
| Bridge inspector common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Clemson University | 8.70% |
| Central Connecticut State University | 6.52% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.52% |
| Florida International University | 6.52% |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology | 6.52% |
Best majors for bridge inspectors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Civil Engineering | 37.9% |
| 2 | Engineering | 10.5% |
| 3 | Civil Engineering Technologies | 6.5% |
| 4 | Business | 5.9% |
| 5 | Construction Management | 5.2% |
Best colleges for bridge inspectors
The best colleges for bridge inspectors are Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A bridge inspector with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for bridge inspectors. 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 bridge inspectors.
1. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$15,887
Enrollment
23,202
5. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
10. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
20 best online courses for bridge inspectors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for bridge inspectors
The most affordable schools for bridge inspectors are University of Florida, florida state university, and florida atlantic university.
If the best universities for bridge inspectors 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 bridge inspectors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
3. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
4. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
5. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for bridge inspectors
The hardest universities for bridge inspectors to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Some great schools for bridge inspectors 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 bridge inspectors 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
7. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
9. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for bridge inspectors
The easiest schools for bridge inspectors to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, portland state university, and saint martin's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a bridge inspector 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 bridge inspectors.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
3. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
4. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
5. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
6. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
7. California State University - Chico
Chico, CA • Private
Admissions rate
65%
SAT average
1,092
8. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,132
9. University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,202
10. Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, TX • Private
Admissions rate
74%
SAT average
980
Average bridge inspector salary by education level
| Bridge inspector education level | Bridge inspector salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $51,921 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,120 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $53,165 |
Bridge inspector education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common construction and extraction questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025