Seismic engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a seismic engineer. Seismic engineers usually study mechanical engineering, civil engineering, or geology. 68% of seismic engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 85 real seismic engineer resumes to see exactly what seismic engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for seismic engineers are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.

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

What education do you need to become a seismic engineer?

What degree do you need to be a seismic engineer?

The most common degree for seismic engineers is bachelor's degree, with 68% of seismic engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 21% and master's degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 68%

Master's, 21%

Doctorate, 6%

Associate, 3%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a seismic engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become a seismic engineer. 18% of seismic engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for a seismic engineer include civil engineering and geology.

Mechanical Engineering, 18%

Civil Engineering, 18%

Geology, 16%

Electrical Engineering, 10%

Other Majors, 38%

Most common colleges for seismic engineers

Seismic engineers often get their degrees at University of Houston, University of South Carolina - Columbia, and Texas A&M; University. Here are the most common colleges for seismic engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Seismic engineer common college	Percentages
University of Houston	9.38%
University of South Carolina - Columbia	9.38%
Texas A&M University	9.38%
University of the Sciences	6.25%
Brigham Young University	6.25%

Show more common seismic engineer colleges

Best majors for seismic engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mechanical Engineering	17.7%
2	Civil Engineering	17.7%
3	Geology	16.1%
4	Electrical Engineering	9.7%
5	Physics	8.1%

Show more common seismic engineer majors

Best colleges for seismic engineers

The best colleges for seismic engineers are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A seismic 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 seismic 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 seismic engineers.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

20 best online courses for seismic engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for seismic engineers

The most affordable schools for seismic engineers are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for seismic 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 seismic engineers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

5. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. 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

10. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for seismic engineers

The hardest universities for seismic engineers to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for seismic 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 seismic 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. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

4. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

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. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

8. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

9. Princeton University

Princeton, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,503

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for seismic engineers

The easiest schools for seismic engineers to get into are University of Houston - Downtown, the university of texas permian basin, and texas a&m; university - kingsville.

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

1. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

2. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

3. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

4. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

5. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

6. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

8. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

9. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average seismic engineer salary by education level

Seismic engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $109,220 annually. With a Master's degree, seismic engineers earn a median annual income of $98,028 compared to $86,430 for seismic engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Seismic engineer education level	Seismic engineer salary
Master's Degree	$98,028
Bachelor's Degree	$86,430
Doctorate Degree	$109,220

Seismic engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Seismic 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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