Engineer education requirements

Q: How long does it take to get a Ph.D. in engineering?

It takes between five to seven years to get a Ph.D. in engineering. Doctorate programs in engineering typically grant engineers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree, although some might award a Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng or D.E.). This depends on the particular college or university.

Q: What degree do you need to be a NASA engineer?

You will need to earn a bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited university in order to become an engineer at NASA. There are many different types of engineering, so you will need to choose a specialization that aligns with the type of work you want to do.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an engineer. Engineers usually study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or civil engineering. 65% of engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 71,868 real engineer resumes to see exactly what engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for engineers are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.

There are also many online engineer courses to help get the education required to be an engineer.

There are certain engineer certifications that you should consider. These engineer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Project Management Professional (PMP).

What education do you need to become an engineer?

What degree do you need to be an engineer?

The most common degree for engineers is bachelor's degree, with 65% of engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 65%

Master's, 13%

Associate, 11%

High School Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become an engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become an engineer. 20% of engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for an engineer include electrical engineering and civil engineering.

Mechanical Engineering, 20%

Electrical Engineering, 19%

Civil Engineering, 8%

Computer Science, 8%

Other Majors, 45%

Most common colleges for engineers

Engineers often get their degrees at Purdue University, Texas A&M; University, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Engineer common college	Percentages
Purdue University	8.91%
Texas A&M University	7.77%
Pennsylvania State University	7.02%
University of Phoenix	6.12%
University of California - Davis	5.46%

Show more common engineer colleges

Best majors for engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mechanical Engineering	19.7%
2	Electrical Engineering	19.4%
3	Civil Engineering	8.4%
4	Computer Science	7.9%
5	Business	7.0%

Show more common engineer majors

Best colleges for engineers

The best colleges for engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Institute of Technology.

An 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 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 engineers.

1. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,646

Enrollment

5,736

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

8. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

9. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for engineers

The most affordable schools for engineers are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.

If the best universities for 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 engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Beckley, WV • Private

In-state tuition

$7,464

Cost of attendance

17,166

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for engineers

The hardest universities for engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for 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 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

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for engineers

The easiest schools for engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and pennsylvania state university - berks.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an 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 engineers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Pennsylvania State University - Berks

Reading, PA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,107

4. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,068

5. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

7. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

Altoona, PA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,094

10. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

Average engineer salary by education level

Engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $113,933 annually. With a Master's degree, engineers earn a median annual income of $104,300 compared to $91,031 for engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Engineer education level	Engineer salary
Master's Degree	$104,300
Bachelor's Degree	$91,031
Doctorate Degree	$113,933

Engineer education FAQs

How long does it take to get a Ph.D. in engineering?

What degree do you need to be a NASA engineer?

What is the best college for Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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