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Ergonomist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an ergonomist. Ergonomists usually study industrial engineering, kinesiology, or mechanical engineering. 64% of ergonomists hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 62 real ergonomist resumes to see exactly what ergonomist education sections show.

The most common colleges for ergonomists are the West Virginia University and the West Virginia University.

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

What education do you need to become an ergonomist?

What degree do you need to be an ergonomist?

The most common degree for ergonomists is bachelor's degree, with 64% of ergonomists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Master's, 18%
  • Doctorate, 8%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become an ergonomist?

You should major in industrial engineering to become an ergonomist. 17% of ergonomists major in industrial engineering. Other common majors for an ergonomist include kinesiology and mechanical engineering.

Most common colleges for ergonomists

Ergonomists often get their degrees at West Virginia University, Emory University, and University of Utah. Here are the most common colleges for ergonomists in the US based on their resumes.
Ergonomist common collegePercentages
West Virginia University8.70%
Emory University8.70%
University of Utah8.70%
Kettering University4.35%
Purdue University4.35%

Best majors for ergonomists

Best colleges for ergonomists

The best colleges for ergonomists are Northeastern University, University of Southern California, and University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

An ergonomist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for ergonomists. 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 ergonomists.

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

4. University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$15,730

Enrollment

18,830

5. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

7. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$50,226

Enrollment

10,873

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Enrollment

4,169

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

10. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

20 best online courses for ergonomists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for ergonomists

The most affordable schools for ergonomists are SUNY Farmingdale, brigham young university, and florida state university.

If the best universities for ergonomists 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 ergonomists.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

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 ergonomists

The hardest universities for ergonomists to get into are Northeastern University, University of Southern California, and University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

Some great schools for ergonomists 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 ergonomists 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

Admissions rate

26%

SAT average

1,427

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

10. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

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

The easiest schools for ergonomists to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, wayland baptist university, and holy names university.

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

1. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

2. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

7. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

8. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

9. Colorado State University - Pueblo

Pueblo, CO • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

1,040

10. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

Average ergonomist salary by education level

According to our data, ergonomists with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $80,999 annually. Ergonomists with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $62,914.
Ergonomist education levelErgonomist salary
Master's Degree$80,999
High School Diploma or Less$51,544
Bachelor's Degree$62,914
Some College/ Associate Degree$61,079

Ergonomist education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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