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Engineering instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an engineering instructor. Engineering instructors usually study electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or civil engineering. 61% of engineering instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,140 real engineering instructor resumes to see exactly what engineering instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for engineering instructors are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online engineering instructor courses to help get the education required to be an engineering instructor.
There are certain engineering instructor certifications that you should consider. These engineering instructor certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Certified Aviation Manager (CAM).
What education do you need to become an engineering instructor?
What degree do you need to be an engineering instructor?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 14%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become an engineering instructor?
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 48%
Most common colleges for engineering instructors
| Engineering instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.96% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 7.96% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 6.19% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 5.31% |
| National University | 5.31% |
Best majors for engineering instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Engineering | 19.6% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 15.6% |
| 3 | Civil Engineering | 8.5% |
| 4 | Business | 6.9% |
| 5 | Engineering | 4.9% |
Best colleges for engineering instructors
The best colleges for engineering instructors are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
An engineering instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for engineering instructors. 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 engineering instructors.
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. 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. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
10. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
20 best online courses for engineering instructors
Advertising disclosure
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10. Product Development & Systems Engineering
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11. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Systems and Avionics
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12. Diploma in Basics of Civil Engineering for Construction
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13. Railway Systems Engineering (Equivalent to Micro MSc )
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Learn how internal combustion engines work! Learn all of a combustion engine's main components and how they work!...
15. Power Engineering: Power System Analysis - Part 1
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Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Mechanics of Airplanes - Aerodynamics, Flight Maneuvers, JET Engines...
18. Distribution Power Engineering Fundamentals
Learn all about the Power Distribution System and how to design it!...
19. Software Engineering 101: Plan and Execute Better Software.
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20. Electrical Engineering Simulations with Etap
Guide in designing, and simulating power circuits, motor and transformer related circuitry using etap...
Top 10 most affordable universities for engineering instructors
The most affordable schools for engineering instructors are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for engineering instructors 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 engineering instructors.
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. 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. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
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 Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for engineering instructors
The hardest universities for engineering instructors to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for engineering instructors 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 engineering instructors 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. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
6. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
7. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for engineering instructors
The easiest schools for engineering instructors to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, the university of texas at el paso, and oregon institute of technology.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an engineering instructor 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 engineering instructors.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
3. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
4. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
5. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
6. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
7. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, MA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,127
8. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
9. Lamar University
Beaumont, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,043
10. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois
DuBois, PA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,079
Average engineering instructor salary by education level
| Engineering instructor education level | Engineering instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $48,227 |
| Doctorate Degree | $57,893 |
Engineering instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025