Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Senior project engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a senior project engineer. Senior project engineers usually study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or civil engineering. 76% of senior project engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 14,116 real senior project engineer resumes to see exactly what senior project engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for senior project engineers are the Purdue University and the Purdue University.
There are also many online senior project engineer courses to help get the education required to be a senior project engineer.
There are certain senior project engineer certifications that you should consider. These senior project engineer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Project Management Professional (PMP).
What education do you need to become a senior project engineer?
What degree do you need to be a senior project engineer?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 7%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a senior project engineer?
- Civil Engineering, 10%
- Business, 7%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for senior project engineers
| Senior project engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Purdue University | 9.88% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.43% |
| DeVry University | 6.56% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 5.80% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 5.04% |
Best majors for senior project engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 29.8% |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering | 15.0% |
| 3 | Civil Engineering | 9.6% |
| 4 | Business | 6.5% |
| 5 | Chemical Engineering | 5.7% |
Best colleges for senior project engineers
The best colleges for senior project engineers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Institute of Technology.
A senior project 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 senior project 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 senior project engineers.
1. Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,646
Enrollment
5,736
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
3. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
9. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
20 best online courses for senior project engineers
Advertising disclosure
1. Engineering and Product Design Processes
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. Introduction to Systems Engineering
Introduction to Systems Engineering introduces you to the holistic and interdisciplinary systems engineering approach to designing, realizing, and managing complex systems. In this three-course specialization, you will learn how to evolve a project from idea to fielded hardware customized to meet customer requirements while effectively managing costs, timescales, and limiting risks. You will identify and define a system and its components, model a system life cycle, and apply systems...
3. Product Development & Systems Engineering
The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...
4. Projects Cost Management, Estimating, Budgeting and Control.
Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...
5. Engineering Project Management
Master strategies and tools to more effectively and successfully manage projects.\n\nToday’s professional environment is highly competitive, continuously changing, and difficult to manage. Employees rarely reach positions of leadership without managing one or more projects or a project segment early in their career.\n\nBrought to you by the Rice Center of Engineering Leadership and team behind the engineering management master's program, the goal of this Specialization is to give you the tools...
6. Managing Major Engineering Projects
Accelerate your career by improving your project management skills. This Specialization delivers a rigorous exploration of the best practices for planning and delivering these major engineering projects. You’ll learn about the measures of success, how to resolve challenges of governance and typical financing approaches of these projects.\n\nIf you are an engineer or a project manager and you aspire to get involved with major engineering projects, or you are already working on one, then this...
7. Mechanical design and Product development process
Learn the basic ideas and concepts behind developing mechanical products related to mechanical engineering...
8. IT Project Budget & Cost Management
Project Management tips to manage a million dollar IT Project budget from start to finish...
9. Learning SOLIDWORKS: For Students, Engineers, and Designers
For Basic and Intermediate Users...
10. Product Design Management for Agile Practitioners
Application of product design management principles, concepts, tools and techniques in agile product management...
11. Technical Product Management: learn on 4 real industry cases
Boost your technicality (as a PM) or tech product skills (as an engineer) to grow in your current role...
12. Construction Cost Estimating and Management
Learn the tools used by construction management professionals to ensure their projects finish under budget...
13. Learn Estimating & Cost Control
Develop a good practical understanding of best practice estimating and cost control on building & construction Projects...
14. Basics of Sheet metal design for Mechanical design engineers
Learn Sheet metal design, processes and practical design considerations along with Design projects...
15. Great Product Manager: Product Management by a Big Tech's PM
Become a Great Product Manager! Land your dream job with Big Tech's Senior Product Manager...
16. Project Management: Cost & Schedule Monitoring using EVM
Earned Value Management, Project Management, Cost Control & Monitor, Budget, Schedule & Cost Variance, Performance Index...
17. Software Architecture & System Design Practical Case Studies
Design Real-life Large Scale Systems, Practice Modern Software Architecture & Prepare for a System Design Interview...
18. HVAC (PART2) with Revit MEP & Practical Projects
your Practical Guide in the Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning with Programs & Layouts (A Complete Project Included)...
19. 2 Real World Azure Data Engineer Project End to End
Engineering Project Building from scratch including designing, architecting, implementing solution and overall testing...
20. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers
Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...
Top 10 most affordable universities for senior project engineers
The most affordable schools for senior project engineers are California State University - Long Beach, brigham young university, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.
If the best universities for senior project 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 senior project engineers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Beckley, WV • Private
In-state tuition
$7,464
Cost of attendance
17,166
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior project engineers
The hardest universities for senior project engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Institute of Technology.
Some great schools for senior project 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 senior project 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. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
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 senior project engineers
The easiest schools for senior project engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and pennsylvania state university - berks.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a senior project 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 senior project engineers.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
3. Pennsylvania State University - Berks
Reading, PA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,107
4. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
5. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
6. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
7. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
8. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
9. Pennsylvania State University - Altoona
Altoona, PA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,094
10. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
Average senior project engineer salary by education level
| Senior project engineer education level | Senior project engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $106,544 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $97,039 |
| Doctorate Degree | $113,208 |
Senior project engineer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
Search for senior project engineer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025