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Process/product engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a process/product engineer. Process/product engineers usually study mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or electrical engineering. 64% of process/product engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 936 real process/product engineer resumes to see exactly what process/product engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for process/product engineers are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.

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

There are certain process/product engineer certifications that you should consider. These process/product engineer certifications include Six Sigma Green Belt and Certified Network Computer Technician (CNCT).

What education do you need to become a process/product engineer?

What degree do you need to be a process/product engineer?

The most common degree for process/product engineers is bachelor's degree, with 64% of process/product engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Associate, 12%
  • Master's, 11%
  • High School Diploma, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a process/product engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become a process/product engineer. 20% of process/product engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for a process/product engineer include chemical engineering and electrical engineering.

Most common colleges for process/product engineers

Process/product engineers often get their degrees at Purdue University, Indiana State University, and Rochester Institute of Technology. Here are the most common colleges for process/product engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Process/product engineer common collegePercentages
Purdue University22.12%
Indiana State University7.08%
Rochester Institute of Technology5.31%
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point5.31%
Georgia Institute of Technology4.42%

Best majors for process/product engineers

Best colleges for process/product engineers

The best colleges for process/product engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University.

A process/product 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/product 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/product 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. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

5. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

9. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

20 best online courses for process/product engineers

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Welcome to “Engineering and Product Design Processes!” In this short course, you will learn how engineering design processes and product design processes are carried out. After the course, you will be familiar with the steps in both design processes. You will also be familiar with the main goal of each design process, as well as their similarities and differences...

2. Mechanical design and Product development process

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

3. Product Development & Systems Engineering

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The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...

4. The Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)

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The 18-step process for ensuring new parts are consistently manufactured and meet their customers' quality expectations...

5. Product Management Crash Course; IT Product Management

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Product Management Essentials & Product Management Fundamentals to kick-start your career in Product Management...

6. Product Management Fundamentals

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Case-based practical course on product management to build strong foundations in product concepts, process & frameworks...

7. Product Design Management for Agile Practitioners

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Application of product design management principles, concepts, tools and techniques in agile product management...

8. Product and Service Management

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Know the Work that is Involved in Getting a Product Onto the Shelf and a Service Ready for Effective Delivery...

9. Introduction Agile & Scrum for Product Owners

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14. Product Management 101

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Learn to become a more strategic product manager - and have a greater impact on your company and your products...

15. Smart Tips: Product Management

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Find impact, innovation, and success as a product manager...

16. Productivity for Mac Users: 10x Your Productivity

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17. Manufacturing Guide for Mechanical Product Development

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Learn how everyday physical products are manufactured with no prior experience in engineering...

18. Boost Your Productivity: Adapt, Improve, Do!

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19. Product Management Marketing: Dekker's Product Marketing MBA

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Be a Product Marketing Manager - Product Management : Product Manager MBA : Product to Market : Product Owner Launch GTM...

20. The Product Management for AI & Data Science Course

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The Complete Course for Becoming a Successful Product Manager in the Field of AI & Data Science...

Top 10 most affordable universities for process/product engineers

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

If the best universities for process/product 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/product engineers.

1. United States Merchant Marine Academy

Kings Point, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$1,080

Cost of attendance

6,646

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

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. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

9. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

10. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for process/product engineers

The hardest universities for process/product engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for process/product 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/product 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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

5. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

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

6%

SAT average

1,512

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for process/product engineers

The easiest schools for process/product engineers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, texas a&m; university - kingsville, and notre dame de namur university.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

5. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

6. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

7. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

8. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

9. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Average process/product engineer salary by education level

According to our data, process/product engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $98,252 annually. Process/product engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $87,732.
Process/product engineer education levelProcess/product engineer salary
Master's Degree$98,252
Bachelor's Degree$87,732
Some College/ Associate Degree$74,052

Process/product 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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