Lean six sigma black belt education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a lean six sigma black belt. Lean six sigma black belts usually study business, mechanical engineering, or industrial engineering. 69% of lean six sigma black belts hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,928 real lean six sigma black belt resumes to see exactly what lean six sigma black belt education sections show.

The most common colleges for lean six sigma black belts are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.

There are also many online lean six sigma black belt courses to help get the education required to be a lean six sigma black belt.

There are certain lean six sigma black belt certifications that you should consider. These lean six sigma black belt certifications include Six Sigma Black Belt and Six Sigma Green Belt.

What education do you need to become a lean six sigma black belt?

What degree do you need to be a lean six sigma black belt?

The most common degree for lean six sigma black belts is bachelor's degree, with 69% of lean six sigma black belts earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 22% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 69%

Master's, 22%

Associate, 7%

Doctorate, 1%

Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a lean six sigma black belt?

You should major in business to become a lean six sigma black belt. 26% of lean six sigma black belts major in business. Other common majors for a lean six sigma black belt include mechanical engineering and industrial engineering.

Business, 26%

Mechanical Engineering, 14%

Industrial Engineering, 9%

Chemical Engineering, 7%

Other Majors, 44%

Most common colleges for lean six sigma black belts

Lean six sigma black belts often get their degrees at Purdue University, University of Phoenix, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for lean six sigma black belts in the US based on their resumes.

Lean six sigma black belt common college	Percentages
Purdue University	13.84%
University of Phoenix	12.46%
Pennsylvania State University	6.23%
Ohio State University	5.88%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro	4.84%

Show more common lean six sigma black belt colleges

Best majors for lean six sigma black belts

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	25.7%
2	Mechanical Engineering	13.7%
3	Industrial Engineering	8.8%
4	Chemical Engineering	7.5%
5	Electrical Engineering	7.1%

Show more common lean six sigma black belt majors

Best colleges for lean six sigma black belts

The best colleges for lean six sigma black belts are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

A lean six sigma black belt with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for lean six sigma black belts. 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 lean six sigma black belts.

1. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

6. Clemson University

Clemson, SC • Private

In-state tuition

$15,374

Enrollment

19,564

7. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

10. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

20 best online courses for lean six sigma black belts

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Top 10 most affordable universities for lean six sigma black belts

The most affordable schools for lean six sigma black belts are United States Merchant Marine Academy, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for lean six sigma black belts 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 lean six sigma black belts.

1. United States Merchant Marine Academy

Kings Point, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$1,080

Cost of attendance

6,646

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

10. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for lean six sigma black belts

The hardest universities for lean six sigma black belts to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for lean six sigma black belts 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 lean six sigma black belts 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,380

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for lean six sigma black belts

The easiest schools for lean six sigma black belts to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a lean six sigma black belt 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 lean six sigma black belts.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

8. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)

Lemont Furnace, PA • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,067

9. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

10. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

Average lean six sigma black belt salary by education level

Lean six sigma black belts with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $99,527 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, lean six sigma black belts earn a median annual income of $90,838 compared to $79,229 for lean six sigma black belts with an Associate degree.

Lean six sigma black belt education level	Lean six sigma black belt salary
Master's Degree	$99,527
Bachelor's Degree	$90,838
Some College/ Associate Degree	$79,229

Lean six sigma black belt education FAQs

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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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