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Cost engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a cost engineer. Cost engineers usually study business, civil engineering, or mechanical engineering. 74% of cost engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,072 real cost engineer resumes to see exactly what cost engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for cost engineers are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.
There are also many online cost engineer courses to help get the education required to be a cost engineer.
There are certain cost engineer certifications that you should consider. These cost engineer certifications include Certified Construction Manager (CCM) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
What education do you need to become a cost engineer?
What degree do you need to be a cost engineer?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a cost engineer?
- Business, 21%
- Civil Engineering, 16%
- Other Majors, 39%
Most common colleges for cost engineers
| Cost engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Houston | 10.08% |
| Purdue University | 9.66% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.82% |
| Texas A&M University | 6.72% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 5.46% |
Best majors for cost engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 20.9% |
| 2 | Civil Engineering | 15.9% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 15.5% |
| 4 | Industrial Engineering | 8.1% |
| 5 | Accounting | 6.4% |
Best colleges for cost engineers
The best colleges for cost engineers are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Stanford University.
A cost 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 cost 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 cost engineers.
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
2. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
8. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for cost engineers
Advertising disclosure
1. Basics of Cost Accounting: Product Costing
The core of the first course is to learn how companies record total costs and calculate unit costs for their individual products or services. For example, how can a car manufacturer figure out the costs of an individual car series? During the first weeks, participants learn what costs are and how to distinguish them from expenses or cash flows. Participants will understand how companies record total costs and distinguish important cost types such as material costs, personnel costs, or...
2. Cost Accounting
View the Specialization trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE5Rx91bdYw\n\nMany corporate decisions need cost accounting information. When you know the costs of your products, you will make better pricing decisions and you can better choose which products to offer. When you know the costs of your departments, you can better detect inefficiencies and you can better incentivize your employees.\n\nIn this Specialization, you will learn the fundamentals of cost accounting. Three courses cover...
3. Projects Cost Management, Estimating, Budgeting and Control.
Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...
4. IT Project Budget & Cost Management
Project Management tips to manage a million dollar IT Project budget from start to finish...
5. Cost Accounting: Decision Making
In the third course, you will learn how to use information from cost accounting to improve managerial decision-making. We discuss business decisions and suggest how cost information can support them best. For example, how will costs change if managers adjust cost drivers? How many units do companies need to sell in order to avoid losses or to achieve a targeted profit? How can managers improve pricing or product programs with information from cost accounting?...
6. Cost Reduction: Cut Costs and Maximise Profits
Cost cutting & cost reduction for a profit focused business...
7. Project Management: Cost & Schedule Monitoring using EVM
Earned Value Management, Project Management, Cost Control & Monitor, Budget, Schedule & Cost Variance, Performance Index...
8. Cost Accounting: Introduction to Management Accounting
Learn Cost Accounting for Management. Includes Process Costing, ABC Systems, Variance Analysis, Cash Budgets and more...
9. Cost Accounting and Financial Management - A Complete Study
Learn theory and practical concepts in Cost Accounting and Financial Management with loads of video lectures...
10. Learn Estimating & Cost Control
Develop a good practical understanding of best practice estimating and cost control on building & construction Projects...
11. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers
Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...
12. Quantity Surveying Templates for Effective Cost Management
Quantity Surveying, Payment Application, Payment Tracker, Variation, Claim, Material Claim, Guarantees, Price Comparison...
13. Managerial and Cost Accounting: A Comprehensive Guide
Unlock Financial Insights, Make Informed Decisions: Optimize Business Performance, Maximize Profitability...
14. Construction Cost Estimating and Management
Learn the tools used by construction management professionals to ensure their projects finish under budget...
15. Managerial (Cost) Accounting For Beginners
Management accounting for managers and students. Learn managerial and cost accounting. #1 accounting course online...
16. AWS Cost Management Tools (Cost Explorer) Crash Course
Learn everything about AWS Cost Explorer, Cloud Financial Management and Reserved Instance/Savings Plan...
17. Cost Accounting - A Comprehensive Study for CA/CMA/CS /ACCA/
Learn basic to advanced concepts in Cost Accounting comprehensively...
18. Cost Reduction for Managers & Management Consultants
A practical guide on how to cut costs in business & private life. Learn how efficiently to conduct cost-cutting projects...
19. Flexible Budgets, Standard Costs, & Variance Analysis
Maximizing Financial Insight: Mastering Variance Analysis and Budgeting for Strategic Decision-Making...
20. Financial Accounting - Inventory Costs
Mastering Inventory Costs & Flows: An In-Depth Guide to Accounting for Inventory in Business Operations...
Top 10 most affordable universities for cost engineers
The most affordable schools for cost engineers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for cost 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 cost engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. 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
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
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 cost engineers
The hardest universities for cost engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for cost 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 cost 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cost engineers
The easiest schools for cost engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, notre dame de namur university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cost 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 cost engineers.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average cost engineer salary by education level
| Cost engineer education level | Cost engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $97,237 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $85,596 |
| Doctorate Degree | $108,472 |
Cost engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025