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Director of engineering, quality & program management education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a director of engineering, quality & program management. Directors of engineering, quality & program management usually study mechanical engineering, business, or electrical engineering. 61% of directors of engineering, quality & program management hold a bachelor's degree, and 28% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 176 real director of engineering, quality & program management resumes to see exactly what director of engineering, quality & program management education sections show.
The most common colleges for directors of engineering, quality & program management are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online director of engineering, quality & program management courses to help get the education required to be a director of engineering, quality & program management.
What education do you need to become a director of engineering, quality & program management?
What degree do you need to be a director of engineering, quality & program management?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Master's, 28%
- Associate, 7%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a director of engineering, quality & program management?
- Business, 14%
- Computer Science, 7%
- Other Majors, 48%
Most common colleges for directors of engineering, quality & program management
| Director of engineering, quality & program management common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 8.89% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.89% |
| Purdue University | 6.67% |
| Arizona State University | 6.67% |
| The University of Alabama | 6.67% |
Best majors for directors of engineering, quality & program management
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 17.3% |
| 2 | Business | 13.6% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 13.6% |
| 4 | Computer Science | 7.3% |
| 5 | Engineering | 6.4% |
Best colleges for directors of engineering, quality & program management
The best colleges for directors of engineering, quality & program management are Columbia University in the City of New York, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
A director of engineering, quality & program management with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for directors of engineering, quality & program management. 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 directors of engineering, quality & program management.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
20 best online courses for directors of engineering, quality & program management
Advertising disclosure
1. Engineering Project Management: Risk, Quality, Teams, and Procurement
Many Project Managers focus only on the scope, schedule and budget. However, a successful project requires that you manage risk, control the quality of the deliverables, engage and manage people and procure goods and services. This course will focus on these key support functions that make the difference between a highly successful project and an average one. During the course, you will prepare a Qualitative Risk Analysis and Evaluate the Cost of Quality for a provided Case Study. By the end of...
2. Real-World Engineering Management
Learn software engineering management using the same practices as Amazon Web Services (AWS), with comparisons to the practices at Google and Microsoft! Gain insights to impress on your first (or next) engineering manager (EM or SDM) role.\n\nLead instructor Nancy Wang, Director of Engineering and Product and General Manager of Data Protection Services at Amazon Web Services, shares the key business, technical, design, and leadership skills necessary for success at engineering manager roles at...
3. ISO 9001:2015 Quality management system auditor
Upgrade your career by learning how to implement and audit a quality management system according to ISO 9001...
4. Certified Manager of Quality Training
Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) Exam Preparation Course...
5. Engineering Project Management
Master strategies and tools to more effectively and successfully manage projects.\n\nToday’s professional environment is highly competitive, continuously changing, and difficult to manage. Employees rarely reach positions of leadership without managing one or more projects or a project segment early in their career.\n\nBrought to you by the Rice Center of Engineering Leadership and team behind the engineering management master's program, the goal of this Specialization is to give you the tools...
6. Managing Major Engineering Projects
Accelerate your career by improving your project management skills. This Specialization delivers a rigorous exploration of the best practices for planning and delivering these major engineering projects. You’ll learn about the measures of success, how to resolve challenges of governance and typical financing approaches of these projects.\n\nIf you are an engineer or a project manager and you aspire to get involved with major engineering projects, or you are already working on one, then this...
7. Product Development & Systems Engineering
The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...
8. ISO 9001:2015-Quality Management System Implementation & Audit
Learn how to Implement and Audit a Quality Management System as per ISO 9001: 2015...
9. ISO9001 Quality Management System
Learn why your business should be using Quality Management TODAY and create your own QMS (Quality Management System)...
10. Certified Quality Engineer Training [2022]
Comprehensive Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Exam Preparation Course (2022 Body of Knowledge)...
11. Quality Management Systems:Management and Control of Quality
Learn to Build, Implement, and Sustain a Performance Excellence Culture into Your Organisation...
12. Quality Management for Business Excellence
Lead Quality Management in the Organization • Transform the Organization to Become the Best-in-Class...
13. Project Management Professional Certification Program (PMP)
Your Guide to the Gold Standard of Project Management Certifications (PMI-PMP) (PMBOK7 updated) (40 PDUs minimum)...
14. VPs and Directors of Product Management: Finding Excellence
Succeeding in an intense, stressful, invigorating job...
15. ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor Course
How to Implement & Audit an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor/ Auditor course...
16. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers
Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...
17. The Business of Logistics in Supply Chain Management
Kick start your Career as a Logistics Manager or a Supply Chain Manager...
18. 7 Quality Tools for Quality Management and Improvements.
A complete Crash Course on the 7 Basic Tools for Quality Management and its Implementation using MS Excel...
19. ISO 9001, Quality Management and Strategic Thinking Training
Combine ISO, Quality & Strategic Thinking with Real Business and boost your Processes...
20. Cost of Quality Analysis and Reporting using Microsoft Excel
Expertly collect, analyze and present quality cost data (using Microsoft Excel) to help drive continual improvement...
Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of engineering, quality & program management
The most affordable schools for directors of engineering, quality & program management are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for directors of engineering, quality & program management 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 directors of engineering, quality & program management.
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. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. 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
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of engineering, quality & program management
The hardest universities for directors of engineering, quality & program management to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Carnegie Mellon University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for directors of engineering, quality & program management 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 directors of engineering, quality & program management 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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of engineering, quality & program management
The easiest schools for directors of engineering, quality & program management to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, the university of texas permian basin, and the university of texas at el paso.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of engineering, quality & program management 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 directors of engineering, quality & program management.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
3. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
4. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
5. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
6. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois
DuBois, PA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,079
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
Average director of engineering, quality & program management salary by education level
| Director of engineering, quality & program management education level | Director of engineering, quality & program management salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $160,895 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $142,174 |
| Doctorate Degree | $174,350 |
Director of engineering, quality & program management education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025