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Product applications engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a product applications engineer. Product applications engineers usually study electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or business. 73% of product applications engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 565 real product applications engineer resumes to see exactly what product applications engineer education sections show.

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

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

There are certain product applications engineer certifications that you should consider. These product applications engineer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).

What education do you need to become a product applications engineer?

What degree do you need to be a product applications engineer?

The most common degree for product applications engineers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of product applications engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 9%.
  • Bachelor's, 73%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 9%
  • High School Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a product applications engineer?

You should major in electrical engineering to become a product applications engineer. 30% of product applications engineers major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a product applications engineer include mechanical engineering and business.

Most common colleges for product applications engineers

Product applications engineers often get their degrees at Purdue University, Michigan Technological University, and University of Akron. Here are the most common colleges for product applications engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Product applications engineer common collegePercentages
Purdue University7.41%
Michigan Technological University6.48%
University of Akron6.48%
Pennsylvania State University6.48%
Colorado School of Mines5.56%

Best majors for product applications engineers

Best colleges for product applications engineers

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

A product applications 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 product applications 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 product applications engineers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

9. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, NE • Private

In-state tuition

$9,242

Enrollment

20,592

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

20 best online courses for product applications engineers

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1. Engineering and Product Design Processes

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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. Machine Learning Engineering for Production (MLOps)

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Understanding machine learning and deep learning concepts is essential, but if you’re looking to build an effective AI career, you need production engineering capabilities as well.\n\nEffectively deploying machine learning models requires competencies more commonly found in technical fields such as software engineering and DevOps. Machine learning engineering for production combines the foundational concepts of machine learning with the functional expertise of modern software development and...

3. Product Development & Systems Engineering

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4.6
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The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...

4. Mechanical design and Product development process

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4.2
(604)

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

5. Strategic Product Development

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This course discusses how companies create new products that customers want while achieving their financial objectives. Learners begin by defining the product strategies necessary to ensure a company’s long-term growth. Learners then explore the different product development processes used by high-tech businesses today, such as Stage-Gate and Lean/Agile techniques. Learners conclude by illustrating the tools to build the high-performance teams that take the development process from concept...

6. Product Design Management for Agile Practitioners

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4.5
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Application of product design management principles, concepts, tools and techniques in agile product management...

7. Insightful Customer Interviews for Product Managers

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Direct conversations with real customers to gain insight, test product concepts, and drive product success...

8. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

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9. Technical Product Management: learn on 4 real industry cases

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11. Automotive product design using CATIA V5

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Automotive domain design using CATIA, interior and exterior trims on CATIA, Plastic product design in Automotive sector...

12. Manufacturing Guide for Mechanical Product Development

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

13. Introduction to Automotive Product Design & development

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4.4
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Learn about the process, milestones and activities from idea to complete design of cars for Automotive engineers...

14. Learning SOLIDWORKS: For Students, Engineers, and Designers

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4.4
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For Basic and Intermediate Users...

15. Design Thinking: Customer Journey Mapping

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4.1
(320)

Sure shot way to delight customers, recreate value proposition, improve customer experience (CX) & become profitable...

16. Start Improving Customer Service

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Creating a Customer Service advantage in Your department or business through communication and Customer Management...

17. Comprehensive Product management for Product managers

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4.5
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Become a great product manager with comprehensive product management Real world case study with JIRA & Confluence...

18. Product Management Crash Course; IT Product Management

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4.4
(593)

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

19. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

20. Requirements Engineering: Software Engineering

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Everything you need to know about software requirements: elicitation, analysis, documentation, validation and management...

Top 10 most affordable universities for product applications engineers

The most affordable schools for product applications engineers are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and university of florida.

If the best universities for product applications 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 product applications engineers.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

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. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

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 product applications engineers

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

Some great schools for product applications 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 product applications 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for product applications engineers

The easiest schools for product applications engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, oklahoma wesleyan university, and capitol technology university.

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

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

4. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

5. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

6. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

Average product applications engineer salary by education level

According to our data, product applications engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $113,318 annually. Product applications engineers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $109,576.
Product applications engineer education levelProduct applications engineer salary
Master's Degree$113,318
High School Diploma or Less$94,250
Bachelor's Degree$109,575
Doctorate Degree$109,576
Some College/ Associate Degree$97,089

Product applications 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.