Process design engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a process design engineer. Process design engineers usually study chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. 72% of process design engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,239 real process design engineer resumes to see exactly what process design engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for process design engineers are the Texas A&M; University and the Texas A&M; University.

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

There are certain process design engineer certifications that you should consider. These process design engineer certifications include Certified Chemical Engineer (CCE) and Six Sigma Green Belt.

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

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

The most common degree for process design engineers is bachelor's degree, with 72% of process design engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 72%

Master's, 12%

Associate, 11%

Doctorate, 2%

Other Degrees, 3%

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

You should major in chemical engineering to become a process design engineer. 34% of process design engineers major in chemical engineering. Other common majors for a process design engineer include mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.

Chemical Engineering, 34%

Mechanical Engineering, 17%

Electrical Engineering, 13%

Business, 6%

Other Majors, 30%

Most common colleges for process design engineers

Process design engineers often get their degrees at Texas A&M; University, Purdue University, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for process design engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Process design engineer common college	Percentages
Texas A&M University	9.03%
Purdue University	8.39%
Pennsylvania State University	7.74%
Georgia Institute of Technology	5.81%
University of California, Santa Barbara	5.81%

Show more common process design engineer colleges

Best majors for process design engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Chemical Engineering	34.1%
2	Mechanical Engineering	16.8%
3	Electrical Engineering	13.0%
4	Business	5.6%
5	Drafting And Design	5.1%

Show more common process design engineer majors

Best colleges for process design engineers

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

A process 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 process 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 process design engineers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

9. Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,930

Enrollment

5,030

10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

20 best online courses for process design engineers

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4. Process Improvement

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#1 Process Improvement course: The step by step guide on how to deliver effective and lasting process improvements...

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

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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...

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7. Advanced Process Control & Safety Instrumented Systems SIS

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

8. Process Mining with Celonis

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Learn and practice how to combine data science and process mapping techniques to visualize processes with real data...

9. Process Flowcharts & Process Mapping - The Advanced Guide

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

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15. Aspen Plus - Basic Process Modeling

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16. Introduction to Business Process Modeling

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17. Complete Field Instrumentation Engineering Course

4.3

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

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

4.5

(1,615)

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

19. Aspen HYSYS - Basic Process Modeling

4.4

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Learn how to model basic Industrial and Chemical Processes!...

20. The Complete Business Process Management (BPM) Master Class

4.2

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Top 10 most affordable universities for process design engineers

The most affordable schools for process design engineers are United States Merchant Marine Academy, california state university - long beach, and university of florida.

If the best universities for process 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 process design 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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

10. 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

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for process design engineers

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

Some great schools for process 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 process 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. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

6. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for process design engineers

The easiest schools for process design engineers to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, oregon institute of technology, and saint cloud state university.

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

1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

3. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

4. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

5. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

6. Lamar University

Beaumont, TX • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,043

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

8. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

9. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

10. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

Average process design engineer salary by education level

Process design engineers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $102,726 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, process design engineers earn a median annual income of $92,728 compared to $79,552 for process design engineers with an Associate degree.

Process design engineer education level	Process design engineer salary
Master's Degree	$102,726
Bachelor's Degree	$92,728
Some College/ Associate Degree	$79,552

Process design engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Process 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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