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Engineering trainee education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an engineering trainee. Engineering trainees usually study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or civil engineering. 73% of engineering trainees hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,764 real engineering trainee resumes to see exactly what engineering trainee education sections show.
The most common colleges for engineering trainees are the Arizona State University and the Arizona State University.
There are also many online engineering trainee courses to help get the education required to be an engineering trainee.
There are certain engineering trainee certifications that you should consider. These engineering trainee certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Certified Chemical Engineer (CCE).
What education do you need to become an engineering trainee?
What degree do you need to be an engineering trainee?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Master's, 16%
- Diploma, 5%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an engineering trainee?
- Civil Engineering, 10%
- Engineering, 6%
- Other Majors, 35%
Most common colleges for engineering trainees
| Engineering trainee common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Arizona State University | 6.88% |
| San Jose State University | 6.88% |
| Purdue University | 6.88% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington | 6.35% |
| Indiana Institute of Technology | 5.82% |
Best majors for engineering trainees
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 28.2% |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering | 21.3% |
| 3 | Civil Engineering | 10.0% |
| 4 | Engineering | 6.1% |
| 5 | Chemical Engineering | 5.4% |
Best colleges for engineering trainees
The best colleges for engineering trainees are Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
An engineering trainee 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 trainees. 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 trainees.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
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. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
20 best online courses for engineering trainees
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Top 10 most affordable universities for engineering trainees
The most affordable schools for engineering trainees are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and florida state university.
If the best universities for engineering trainees 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 trainees.
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. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
9. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
10. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for engineering trainees
The hardest universities for engineering trainees to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for engineering trainees 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 trainees 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. 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
6. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for engineering trainees
The easiest schools for engineering trainees to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, south dakota state university, and alabama a & m university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an engineering trainee 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 trainees.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
3. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
4. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
5. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
6. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona
Altoona, PA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,094
7. California State University - Chico
Chico, CA • Private
Admissions rate
65%
SAT average
1,092
8. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
9. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
10. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
Average engineering trainee salary by education level
| Engineering trainee education level | Engineering trainee salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $66,671 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,646 |
| Doctorate Degree | $74,420 |
Engineering trainee education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025