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Principal quality engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a principal quality engineer. Principal quality engineers usually study mechanical engineering, business, or electrical engineering. 71% of principal quality engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 417 real principal quality engineer resumes to see exactly what principal quality engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for principal quality engineers are the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
There are also many online principal quality engineer courses to help get the education required to be a principal quality engineer.
There are certain principal quality engineer certifications that you should consider. These principal quality engineer certifications include Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) and Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).
What education do you need to become a principal quality engineer?
What degree do you need to be a principal quality engineer?
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 21%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 0%
What should I major in to become a principal quality engineer?
- Business, 14%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for principal quality engineers
| Principal quality engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 10.00% |
| Northeastern University | 10.00% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 7.78% |
| Arizona State University | 5.56% |
| San Diego State University | 5.56% |
Best majors for principal quality engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 15.8% |
| 2 | Business | 13.8% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 11.3% |
| 4 | Industrial Engineering | 10.1% |
| 5 | Computer Science | 5.7% |
Best colleges for principal quality engineers
The best colleges for principal quality engineers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
A principal quality 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 principal quality 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 principal quality engineers.
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 principal quality engineers
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1. Certified Quality Process Analyst Training
Certified Quality Process Analyst (CQPA) Exam Preparation Course - Confidently Pass the Exam on the First Attempt...
2. Quality Assurance Mastery - Manual Software Testing
Become Quality Assurance Engineer as a Complete Beginner. QA Masterclass for Junior QA Engineers...
3. ISO 9001:2015 Quality management system auditor
Upgrade your career by learning how to implement and audit a quality management system according to ISO 9001...
4. ISO 9001:2015-Quality Management System Implementation & Audit
Learn how to Implement and Audit a Quality Management System as per ISO 9001: 2015...
5. Certified Quality Engineer Training [2022]
Comprehensive Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Exam Preparation Course (2022 Body of Knowledge)...
6. Quality Systems, Models and Theories
Understand, Develop and Implement Quality Systems for Success and Profit...
7. Certified Quality Auditor Training
Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) Exam Preparation Course - Confidently pass the exam in the first attempt...
8. ISO9001 Quality Management System
Learn why your business should be using Quality Management TODAY and create your own QMS (Quality Management System)...
9. Medical Devices Quality Management System - ISO 13485:2016
Awareness and Application for the requirements of ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Device Development and QMS...
10. Quality Management for Business Excellence
Lead Quality Management in the Organization • Transform the Organization to Become the Best-in-Class...
11. The Complete Quality Assurance Course- Learn QA from Scratch
Learn QA Software Testing both Manual and Automation. Become Developer in Test and Kick-start your Career in IT...
12. Data Quality Fundamentals
Understand key concepts, principles and terminology related to Data Quality...
13. Mastering ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System
Plain and Simple Clause by Clause Explanation of ISO 9001:2015 QMS Standard & Implementation Strategies...
14. 7 Quality Tools for Quality Management and Improvements.
A complete Crash Course on the 7 Basic Tools for Quality Management and its Implementation using MS Excel...
15. Medical Device Process Validation. ISO 13485. IQ OQ PQ.
Validate a process to gain approval to sell medical devices in the EU, U.S. & Internationally. Compliance to ISO 13485...
16. Quality Management Systems:Management and Control of Quality
Learn to Build, Implement, and Sustain a Performance Excellence Culture into Your Organisation...
17. Mastering the Seven Quality Tools (with Microsoft Excel)
A Deep Dive into the theory and application of the 7 Quality Tools for root cause analysis and continuous improvement...
18. ISO 13485 - IQOQPQ - Process Validation for Medical Devices
Installation Qualification (IQ), Operational Qualification (OQ) & Performance Qualification (PQ) Medical Devices...
19. ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor Course
How to Implement & Audit an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor/ Auditor course...
20. Cost of Quality Analysis and Reporting using Microsoft Excel
Expertly collect, analyze and present quality cost data (using Microsoft Excel) to help drive continual improvement...
Top 10 most affordable universities for principal quality engineers
The most affordable schools for principal quality engineers are United States Merchant Marine Academy, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for principal quality 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 principal quality engineers.
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 principal quality engineers
The hardest universities for principal quality engineers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for principal quality 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 principal quality 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
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
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 principal quality engineers
The easiest schools for principal quality engineers 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 principal quality 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 principal quality engineers.
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 principal quality engineer salary by education level
| Principal quality engineer education level | Principal quality engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $118,391 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $106,982 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $91,926 |
Principal quality engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025