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Refrigeration engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a refrigeration engineer. Refrigeration engineers usually study heating and air conditioning, mechanical engineering, or environmental control technologies/technicians. 43% of refrigeration engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 245 real refrigeration engineer resumes to see exactly what refrigeration engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for refrigeration engineers are the Friends University at Garden City Community College and the Friends University at Garden City Community College.
There are also many online refrigeration engineer courses to help get the education required to be a refrigeration engineer.
There are certain refrigeration engineer certifications that you should consider. These refrigeration engineer certifications include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and Journeyman Air Conditioning & Refrigeration.
What education do you need to become a refrigeration engineer?
What degree do you need to be a refrigeration engineer?
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 23%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 13%
What should I major in to become a refrigeration engineer?
- Engineering, 7%
- Other Majors, 36%
Most common colleges for refrigeration engineers
| Refrigeration engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Friends University at Garden City Community College | 12.00% |
| University of Florida | 8.00% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.00% |
| Seattle Central Community College | 8.00% |
| Michigan Technological University | 4.00% |
Best majors for refrigeration engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heating And Air Conditioning | 23.3% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 20.8% |
| 3 | Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 13.3% |
| 4 | Engineering | 6.7% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 5.0% |
Best colleges for refrigeration engineers
The best colleges for refrigeration engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University.
A refrigeration 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 refrigeration 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 refrigeration engineers.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Ames, IA • Private
In-state tuition
$8,988
Enrollment
29,248
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. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$53,880
Enrollment
6,590
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
20 best online courses for refrigeration engineers
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1. Basic Refrigeration and Troubleshooting
Learn about the refrigeration cycle and apply what you have learned to troubleshoot any refrigeration system...
2. Electrical Power Engineering Principles
Learn all the basic theories and principles of electrical engineering...
3. Refrigeration & Air conditioning - Design and calculation
Refrigeration and HVAC fundamentals, design and calculation for commercial and industrial application...
4. Heat Exchangers: Design , Operation & Maintenance
A complete understanding of construction details , functionning and design of heat exchangers for successful operation...
5. HVAC Fundamentals and BMS Controls
Build your knowledge systematically, from the working principles of HVAC to optimizing a chiller plant operation...
6. Diesel Engine Fundamentals (Mechanical Engineering)
Learn about the diesel engine! Ideal for Automotive Engineering and Automobile Engineering!...
7. Electricity for Electronics, Electrical Engineering A-Z 2023
Fundamentals of Electricity & Electric Circuits for Electronics - Circuit Design - Electrical Engineering...
8. Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering Explained
Learn how things work! Boilers, engines, valves, transformers, pumps, learn it all in this constantly growing course!...
9. AutoCAD Electrical for Electrical and Automation Engineers
Become proficient in Auto CAD Electrical quickly and showcase your skills...
10. Electric Circuits for Electrical Engineering and Electronics
Start your career in electrical & electronics engineering by learning everything about electric circuits and electronics...
11. Railway Systems Engineering (Equivalent to Micro MSc )
A Journey in the World of Railway Systems Operation Rolling Stock Traction System Engineering Infrastructure...
12. Power Engineering: Power System Analysis - Part 1
Start your career in electrical engineering and power engineering by learning the fundamentals of power system analysis...
13. Internal Combustion Engine Basics (Mechanical Engineering)
Learn how internal combustion engines work! Learn all of a combustion engine's main components and how they work!...
14. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Systems and Avionics
Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Systems of Airplanes - Hydraulics, Avionics, Electric, Propulsion...
15. Unit Operations in Chemical Engineering
Learn the most important Unit Operations in Chemical Plants...
16. Product Development & Systems Engineering
The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...
17. Complete Etap course for Power Electrical Engineering
The easiest way to become a Pro Designer in Electrical Power Systems using Etap from scratch!...
18. Electrical Engineering Simulations with Etap
Guide in designing, and simulating power circuits, motor and transformer related circuitry using etap...
19. Complete Field Instrumentation Engineering Course
Flow, Level, Temperature and Pressure Instrument - Selection, Sizing, Calculation and Detail Engineering...
20. Electrical Engineering: Power Electronics Masterclass
Further your knowledge in power engineering by learning to design rectifiers, dc-to-dc converters, and inverters...
Top 10 most affordable universities for refrigeration engineers
The most affordable schools for refrigeration engineers are Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon, brigham young university, and inter american university of puerto rico san german.
If the best universities for refrigeration 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 refrigeration engineers.
1. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German
San German, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
14,322
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$6,686
Cost of attendance
17,885
7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo
Arecibo, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,872
Cost of attendance
13,476
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
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 refrigeration engineers
The hardest universities for refrigeration engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for refrigeration 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 refrigeration 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for refrigeration engineers
The easiest schools for refrigeration engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, saint martin's university, and cleveland state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a refrigeration 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 refrigeration engineers.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
3. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
4. Montana Technological University
Butte, MT • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,199
5. University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,113
6. SUNY College of Technology at Canton
Canton, NY • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
997
7. Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Ames, IA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,219
8. University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,050
9. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
10. Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
Middletown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,177
Average refrigeration engineer salary by education level
| Refrigeration engineer education level | Refrigeration engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $100,605 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $87,922 |
| Doctorate Degree | $109,804 |
Refrigeration engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025