Head engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a head engineer. Head engineers usually study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or business. 61% of head engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,548 real head engineer resumes to see exactly what head engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for head engineers are the Full Sail University and the Full Sail University.

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

There are certain head engineer certifications that you should consider. These head engineer certifications include Certified Audio Engineer (CEA) and Petroleum Engineering Certification (PEC).

What education do you need to become a head engineer?

What degree do you need to be a head engineer?

The most common degree for head engineers is bachelor's degree, with 61% of head engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 61%

Master's, 16%

Associate, 11%

High School Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a head engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become a head engineer. 17% of head engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for a head engineer include electrical engineering and business.

Mechanical Engineering, 17%

Electrical Engineering, 15%

Business, 10%

Engineering, 9%

Other Majors, 49%

Most common colleges for head engineers

Head engineers often get their degrees at Full Sail University, University of Phoenix, and National University. Here are the most common colleges for head engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Head engineer common college	Percentages
Full Sail University	15.67%
University of Phoenix	6.72%
National University	5.97%
Pennsylvania State University	5.97%
Purdue University	5.97%

Show more common head engineer colleges

Best majors for head engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mechanical Engineering	16.8%
2	Electrical Engineering	15.3%
3	Business	10.4%
4	Engineering	9.1%
5	Civil Engineering	9.1%

Show more common head engineer majors

Best colleges for head engineers

The best colleges for head engineers are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A head 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 head 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 head engineers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

5. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

6. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for head engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for head engineers

The most affordable schools for head engineers are SUNY Farmingdale, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for head 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 head engineers.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for head engineers

The hardest universities for head engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for head 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 head 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

6. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

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

The easiest schools for head engineers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, the university of texas permian basin, and notre dame college.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

7. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

8. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

Average head engineer salary by education level

According to our data, head engineers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $188,216 annually. Head engineers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $168,359.

Head engineer education level	Head engineer salary
Master's Degree	$168,359
Bachelor's Degree	$141,794
Doctorate Degree	$188,216

Head engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Head 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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