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Pollution control engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a pollution control engineer. Pollution control engineers usually study mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or environmental engineering. 91% of pollution control engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 3% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 37 real pollution control engineer resumes to see exactly what pollution control engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for pollution control engineers are the Temple University and the Temple University.

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

What education do you need to become a pollution control engineer?

What degree do you need to be a pollution control engineer?

The most common degree for pollution control engineers is bachelor's degree, with 91% of pollution control engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 3% and doctoral degree degree at 3%.
  • Bachelor's, 91%
  • Doctorate, 3%
  • Master's, 3%
  • Associate, 3%

What should I major in to become a pollution control engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become a pollution control engineer. 21% of pollution control engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for a pollution control engineer include chemical engineering and environmental engineering.

Most common colleges for pollution control engineers

Pollution control engineers often get their degrees at Temple University, University of Connecticut, and University of Florida. Here are the most common colleges for pollution control engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Pollution control engineer common collegePercentages
Temple University9.52%
University of Connecticut4.76%
University of Florida4.76%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro4.76%
Carnegie Mellon University4.76%

Best majors for pollution control engineers

Best colleges for pollution control engineers

The best colleges for pollution control engineers are California Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

A pollution control 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 pollution control 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 pollution control engineers.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

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. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

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 pollution control engineers

Advertising disclosure

1. Air Pollution – a Global Threat to our Health

coursera

We all have to breathe to live. But the air we breathe is polluted both outdoors and indoors. Each year, this pollution costs 7 million lives across the globe – and a lot of suffering. 1 in 8 deaths is due to air pollution. This course will provide you with an introduction to the most recent research in the field of health effects of air pollution as well as a broader understanding of sources and spread of air pollution and what we should do about it. What is air pollution? What are the...

2. Introduction to Indoor Air Quality

coursera

Course Overview: https://youtu.be/LLVb4FOn4uU This course provides a basic knowledge of an emerging area – Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in buildings. Learners will realize the importance of maintaining proper IAQ. Characteristics associated with indoor air contaminants (IAC) are demonstrated, such as • Particulate matters (PM2.5, PM10) • Radon • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) • Asbestos • Bio-aerosols, and more Safe exposure levels, resulting health effects, measurement techniques, mitigate and...

3. Air Dispersion Modeling for Environmental Management

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4.4
(267)

Environmental management with AERMOD Air Pollution Model by EPA...

4. Air Insulated Electrical Substation Design

udemy
4.5
(437)

This course will give you a great appreciation of Air Insulated Substations and how all of the equipments fit together...

5. Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health

coursera

In this specialization, you will explore how many public health outcomes are directly influenced by human contact with the environment. The four courses in this series will introduce you to the environmental health sciences (EHS) discipline; you'll examine the hazards of air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, radon, and noise; identify the major challenges posed by climate change and unsustainable practices; and use risk assessment to evaluate the health of population,...

6. Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Review

coursera

The purpose of this course is to review the material covered in the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam to enable the student to pass it. It will be presented in modules corresponding to the FE topics, particularly those in Civil and Mechanical Engineering. Each module will review main concepts, illustrate them with examples, and provide extensive practice problems...

7. Global Air Logistics Management in Supply Chain Management

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4.7
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2021 Air Logistics Management, Logistics Document, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Logistics & Supply Chain Costing...

8. HVAC Psychrometry, Air Handling System and Duct Selection

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4.5
(517)

Build your knowledge systematically, from building cooling load estimation, to sizing and selection of AHU and ductings...

9. Engineering Project Management: Risk, Quality, Teams, and Procurement

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Many Project Managers focus only on the scope, schedule and budget. However, a successful project requires that you manage risk, control the quality of the deliverables, engage and manage people and procure goods and services. This course will focus on these key support functions that make the difference between a highly successful project and an average one. During the course, you will prepare a Qualitative Risk Analysis and Evaluate the Cost of Quality for a provided Case Study. By the end of...

10. Complete Field Instrumentation Engineering Course

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4.3
(259)

Flow, Level, Temperature and Pressure Instrument - Selection, Sizing, Calculation and Detail Engineering...

11. Refrigeration & Air conditioning - Design and calculation

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4.4
(285)

Refrigeration and HVAC fundamentals, design and calculation for commercial and industrial application...

12. Learn Estimating & Cost Control

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4
(345)

Develop a good practical understanding of best practice estimating and cost control on building & construction Projects...

13. Diesel Engine Fundamentals (Mechanical Engineering)

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4.6
(374)

Learn about the diesel engine! Ideal for Automotive Engineering and Automobile Engineering!...

14. Projects Cost Management, Estimating, Budgeting and Control.

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4.1
(1,381)

Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...

15. Certified Quality Engineer Training [2022]

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4.6
(1,829)

Comprehensive Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Exam Preparation Course (2022 Body of Knowledge)...

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

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4.1
(398)

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

17. Control Systems: From Mathematical Modelling to PID Control

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4.2
(791)

Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...

18. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Fundamentals and Advanced

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4.6
(2,504)

Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Mechanics of Airplanes - Aerodynamics, Flight Maneuvers, JET Engines...

19. Advanced Process Control & Safety Instrumented Systems SIS

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4.5
(783)

Learn how the main process equipment such as chemical reactors , pumps , compressors & heat exchangers are controlled...

20. Construction Cost Estimating and Management

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4.6
(642)

Learn the tools used by construction management professionals to ensure their projects finish under budget...

Top 10 most affordable universities for pollution control engineers

The most affordable schools for pollution control engineers are University of Florida, new mexico institute of mining and technology, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for pollution control 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 pollution control engineers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

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 pollution control engineers

The hardest universities for pollution control engineers to get into are California Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for pollution control 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 pollution control 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. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,566

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,545

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for pollution control engineers

The easiest schools for pollution control engineers to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, cleveland state university, and oregon institute of technology.

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

1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

2. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

3. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

4. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

5. Lamar University

Beaumont, TX • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,043

6. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

7. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

8. University of New Haven

West Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,129

9. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

10. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

Average pollution control engineer salary by education level

According to our data, pollution control engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $70,765 annually. Pollution control engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $69,294.
Pollution control engineer education levelPollution control engineer salary
Master's Degree$70,765
Bachelor's Degree$69,294

Pollution control engineer 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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