Piping/mechanical designer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a piping/mechanical designer. Piping/mechanical designers usually study drafting and design, mechanical engineering, or engineering. 60% of piping/mechanical designers hold a associate degree, and 22% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 796 real piping/mechanical designer resumes to see exactly what piping/mechanical designer education sections show.

The most common colleges for piping/mechanical designers are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.

There are also many online piping/mechanical designer courses to help get the education required to be a piping/mechanical designer.

What education do you need to become a piping/mechanical designer?

What degree do you need to be a piping/mechanical designer?

The most common degree for piping/mechanical designers is associate degree, with 60% of piping/mechanical designers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 22% and bachelor's degree degree at 8%.

Associate, 60%

Bachelor's, 22%

High School Diploma, 8%

Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a piping/mechanical designer?

You should major in drafting and design to become a piping/mechanical designer. 40% of piping/mechanical designers major in drafting and design. Other common majors for a piping/mechanical designer include mechanical engineering and engineering.

Drafting And Design, 40%

Mechanical Engineering, 17%

Engineering, 8%

Mechanical Engineering Technology, 4%

Other Majors, 31%

Most common colleges for piping/mechanical designers

Piping/mechanical designers often get their degrees at Purdue University, Point Park University, and Southeastern Louisiana University. Here are the most common colleges for piping/mechanical designers in the US based on their resumes.

Piping/mechanical designer common college	Percentages
Purdue University	6.67%
Point Park University	6.67%
Southeastern Louisiana University	6.67%
California State University - San Bernardino	6.67%
McNeese State University	6.67%

Show more common piping/mechanical designer colleges

Best majors for piping/mechanical designers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Drafting And Design	40.4%
2	Mechanical Engineering	17.1%
3	Engineering	8.3%
4	Mechanical Engineering Technology	4.4%
5	Engineering Technology	3.1%

Show more common piping/mechanical designer majors

Best colleges for piping/mechanical designers

The best colleges for piping/mechanical designers are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and California Institute of Technology.

A piping/mechanical designer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for piping/mechanical designers. 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 piping/mechanical designers.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

2. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,646

Enrollment

5,736

3. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

4. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Ames, IA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,988

Enrollment

29,248

9. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

10. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

20 best online courses for piping/mechanical designers

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1. Piping Design Engineering & Piping Isometrics Masterclass

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2. Designing Piping Systems: Pipe Fittings Flanges Valves

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Understanding piping systems , their components , codes & specification for successful design , construction & operation...

3. PG Diploma in Piping Design Engineering

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Learn Piping Design Engineering...

4. Know Read Understand Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams P & IDs

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Learn how Process Control, Safety Instrumented Systems, Interlock & Alarms are represented in engineering P & ID drawings...

5. Mechanical design and Product development process

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

6. Basics of Material selection for mechanical design engineers

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

7. AutoCAD Mechanical 2D and 3D for Beginners to Advanced

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Auto CAD Mechanical Engineering/ Drawing / Drafting / Design in 2D and 3D...

8. How To Read Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams Made Easy

4.5

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All you'll ever need to easily Read P & IDs in one Clear and Concise Course for Plant Operators, Maintenance & Engineers...

9. HVAC (PART2) with Revit MEP & Practical Projects

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your Practical Guide in the Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning with Programs & Layouts (A Complete Project Included)...

10. Valves: Principles , Operation & Designs

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A complete understanding of construction details & functioning of valves for successful operation of your piping system...

11. Basics of Sheet metal design for Mechanical design engineers

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

12. 3D Modeling Piped Systems in AutoCAD

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13. Mechanics / Statics - Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

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Engineering Solid Mechanics / Engineering Statics...

14. HVAC (PART1) with HAPExcelAutoCADManual Calculations

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A Practical Guide in the Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning with Programs & Layouts (Including 4 Practical Projects)...

15. Flow of fluids through piping systems , valves and pumps

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Learn to size valves & piping systems, calculate pressure drop, flow of liquids & gases through pipe , fittings & valves...

16. How to Read P & ID, PFD & BFD used in Process Plant like Pro

4.5

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Learn How to Read Piping and Instrument Diagram-P & ID, Process Flow Diagram and Block Flow Diagram used in Process Plant...

17. Learn AutoCAD 2023- 21 Mechanical 2D and 3D Complete Course

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Autodesk Auto CAD 2023- 21 for Mechanical Engineer, Beginner to Advanced Auto CAD Course for 2D, 3D and advanced commands...

18. Data Center Essentials: Mechanical & Cooling

4.5

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The mechanical cooling systems that support data centers and the internet...

19. Centrifugal pumps: Principles , Operation and Design

4.3

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A complete understanding of construction details and functioning of centrifugal pumps for successful plant operation...

20. Centrifugal compressors: Principles, Operation and design

4.8

(389)

A complete understanding of construction details and functioning of centrifugal compressors for successful operations...

Top 10 most affordable universities for piping/mechanical designers

The most affordable schools for piping/mechanical designers are Brigham Young University, inter american university of puerto rico san german, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.

If the best universities for piping/mechanical designers 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 piping/mechanical designers.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German

San German, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

14,322

3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo

Arecibo, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,872

Cost of attendance

13,476

6. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,284

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for piping/mechanical designers

The hardest universities for piping/mechanical designers to get into are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and California Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for piping/mechanical designers 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 piping/mechanical designers 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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for piping/mechanical designers

The easiest schools for piping/mechanical designers to get into are Saint Martin's University, oregon institute of technology, and south dakota state university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a piping/mechanical designer 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 piping/mechanical designers.

1. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

3. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

4. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

5. Montana Technological University

Butte, MT • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,199

6. Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,111

7. University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,050

8. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

9. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

10. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

Average piping/mechanical designer salary by education level

Piping/mechanical designers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $67,575 annually. With a Master's degree, piping/mechanical designers earn a median annual income of $61,310 compared to $52,777 for piping/mechanical designers with an Bachelor's degree.

Piping/mechanical designer education level	Piping/mechanical designer salary
Master's Degree	$61,310
Bachelor's Degree	$52,777
Doctorate Degree	$67,575

Piping/mechanical designer education FAQs

What is the best college for Piping/Mechanical Designers?

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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