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Quality Engineer Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a quality engineer. Quality engineers usually study mechanical engineering, business, or electrical engineering. 70% of quality engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 23,690 real quality engineer resumes to see exactly what quality engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for quality engineers are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.
There are also many online quality engineer courses to help get the education required to be a quality engineer.
There are certain quality engineer certifications that you should consider. These quality engineer certifications include Six Sigma Green Belt and Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).
What education do you need to become a quality engineer?
What degree do you need to be a quality engineer?
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Associate, 13%
- Master's, 13%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a quality engineer?
- Business, 13%
- Other Majors, 46%
Most common colleges for quality engineers
| Quality Engineer Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Purdue University | 10.82% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.78% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.41% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 6.35% |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 5.02% |
Best majors for quality engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 20.3% |
| 2 | Business | 13.1% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 11.0% |
| 4 | Industrial Engineering | 10.3% |
| 5 | Industrial Technology | 6.0% |
Best colleges for quality engineers
The best colleges for quality engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University.
A 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 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 quality 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 quality engineers
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1. Certified Quality Process Analyst Training
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2. 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...
3. ISO 9001:2015-Quality Management System Implementation & Audit
Learn how to Implement and Audit a Quality Management System as per ISO 9001: 2015...
4. Quality Systems, Models and Theories
Understand, Develop and Implement Quality Systems for Success and Profit...
5. Certified Quality Engineer Training [2022]
Comprehensive Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Exam Preparation Course (2022 Body of Knowledge)...
6. Quality Management Systems:Management and Control of Quality
Learn to Build, Implement, and Sustain a Performance Excellence Culture into Your Organisation...
7. ISO9001 Quality Management System
Learn why your business should be using Quality Management TODAY and create your own QMS (Quality Management System)...
8. Certified Quality Auditor Training
Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) Exam Preparation Course - Confidently pass the exam in the first attempt...
9. Data Quality Fundamentals
Understand key concepts, principles and terminology related to Data Quality...
10. 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...
11. Quality Management for Business Excellence
Lead Quality Management in the Organization • Transform the Organization to Become the Best-in-Class...
12. 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...
13. 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...
14. Mastering ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System
Plain and Simple Clause by Clause Explanation of ISO 9001:2015 QMS Standard & Implementation Strategies...
15. Kaizen Practitioner Masterclass for Quality Management.
Structured Approach to identify and Eliminate waste in Business for Continuous Improvement & Quality Management...
16. The Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)
The 18-step process for ensuring new parts are consistently manufactured and meet their customers' quality expectations...
17. Certified Manager of Quality Training
Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) Exam Preparation Course...
18. Data Quality Masterclass - The Complete Course
Learn Data Quality Management from A to Z. This complete guide covers all Data Quality Principles, Techniques and more...
19. Quality Assurance Mastery - Manual Software Testing
Become Quality Assurance Engineer as a Complete Beginner. QA Masterclass for Junior QA Engineers...
20. Statistical Process Control (SPC) Using Microsoft Excel
A Deep Dive into Analyzing your Process Data to Drive Quality Improvements within your Organization...
Top 10 most affordable universities for quality engineers
The most affordable schools for quality engineers are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for 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 quality 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 quality engineers
The hardest universities for quality engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for 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 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. 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 quality engineers
The easiest schools for quality 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 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 quality 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 quality engineer salary by education level
| Quality Engineer education level | Quality Engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $91,186 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $82,256 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $70,497 |
Quality Engineer Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025