Lead design engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a lead design engineer. Lead design engineers usually study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or drafting and design. 73% of lead design engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,058 real lead design engineer resumes to see exactly what lead design engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for lead design engineers are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.

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

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

What education do you need to become a lead design engineer?

What degree do you need to be a lead design engineer?

The most common degree for lead design engineers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of lead design 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, 73%

Master's, 13%

Associate, 11%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a lead design engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become a lead design engineer. 38% of lead design engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for a lead design engineer include electrical engineering and drafting and design.

Mechanical Engineering, 38%

Electrical Engineering, 19%

Drafting And Design, 7%

Engineering, 5%

Other Majors, 31%

Most common colleges for lead design engineers

Lead design engineers often get their degrees at Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, and University of Florida. Here are the most common colleges for lead design engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Lead design engineer common college	Percentages
Pennsylvania State University	7.59%
Purdue University	7.59%
University of Florida	6.25%
Arizona State University	5.36%
University of California - Davis	5.36%

Show more common lead design engineer colleges

Best majors for lead design engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mechanical Engineering	38.4%
2	Electrical Engineering	18.9%
3	Drafting And Design	6.6%
4	Engineering	4.8%
5	Civil Engineering	4.3%

Show more common lead design engineer majors

Best colleges for lead design engineers

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

A lead design 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 lead design 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 lead design 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 lead design engineers

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3. Learning SOLIDWORKS: For Students, Engineers, and Designers

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4. Complete Eagle CAD PCB Design: Theory and Practical approach

4.4

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Complete PCB Design Course for Freshers & Professionals...

5. Mechanical design and Product development process

4.2

(604)

Learn the basic ideas and concepts behind developing mechanical products related to mechanical engineering...

6. Basics of Sheet metal design for Mechanical design engineers

4.3

(793)

Learn Sheet metal design, processes and practical design considerations along with Design projects...

7. Master Digital Product Design: UX Research & UI Design

4.6

(8,540)

A complete design education for product designers: Research the user experience, then design a great user interface...

8. Complete Course in CATIA

4.4

(674)

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9. Ultimate Guide to Product Design: Design Thinking Approach

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(1,005)

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10. Crash Course Electronics and PCB Design

4.7

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11. Introduction to Automotive Product Design & development

4.4

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12. PCB Design using OrCAD/Allegro from Basics to Expert level

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Learn Or CAD/Allegro PCB Design: Schematic (Or CAD Capture), Footprint's (Package Editor) & Board Design(PCB Editor)...

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15. Unreal Engine: Intro to Game Design

4.5

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16. Pro Engineer Creo Fundamental 3D design course

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Learn fundamentals of creo parametric from scratch including part design,drawing,assembly...

17. PG Diploma in Piping Design Engineering

4.2

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18. Graphic Design Masterclass - Learn GREAT Design

4.7

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The Ultimate Graphic Design Course Which Covers Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design,Design Theory, Branding and Logo Design...

19. UX Fundamentals: Practical Usability for Product Design

4.5

(808)

Avoid common mistakes in product design by learning usability principles and analysing tens of real-life examples...

20. Basics of Material selection for mechanical design engineers

4.4

(542)

Learn about the fundamentals of materials and their selection for mechanical engineering design for design engineers...

Top 10 most affordable universities for lead design engineers

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

If the best universities for lead design 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 lead design 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 lead design engineers

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

Some great schools for lead design 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 lead design 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 lead design engineers

The easiest schools for lead design 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 a lead design 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 lead design 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 lead design engineer salary by education level

Lead design engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $128,484 annually. With a Master's degree, lead design engineers earn a median annual income of $119,779 compared to $107,511 for lead design engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Lead design engineer education level	Lead design engineer salary
Master's Degree	$119,779
Bachelor's Degree	$107,511
Doctorate Degree	$128,484

Lead design engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Lead Design 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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