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Senior water resources engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior water resources engineer. Senior water resources engineers usually study civil engineering, business, or agricultural engineering. 70% of senior water resources engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 44 real senior water resources engineer resumes to see exactly what senior water resources engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior water resources engineers are the Colorado State University and the Colorado State University.

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

What education do you need to become a senior water resources engineer?

What degree do you need to be a senior water resources engineer?

The most common degree for senior water resources engineers is bachelor's degree, with 70% of senior water resources engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 20% and master's degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 70%
  • Master's, 20%
  • Doctorate, 7%
  • Associate, 3%

What should I major in to become a senior water resources engineer?

You should major in civil engineering to become a senior water resources engineer. 67% of senior water resources engineers major in civil engineering. Other common majors for a senior water resources engineer include business and agricultural engineering.

Most common colleges for senior water resources engineers

Senior water resources engineers often get their degrees at Colorado State University, Indiana Institute of Technology, and University of Notre Dame. Here are the most common colleges for senior water resources engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Senior water resources engineer common collegePercentages
Colorado State University9.52%
Indiana Institute of Technology4.76%
University of Notre Dame4.76%
Carnegie Mellon University4.76%
University of California - Davis4.76%

Best majors for senior water resources engineers

Best colleges for senior water resources engineers

The best colleges for senior water resources engineers are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

A senior water resources 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 water resources 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 water resources engineers.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for senior water resources engineers

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1. Sustainable Urban Water Systems

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The MOOC “Sustainable Urban Water Systems” aims to provide knowledge about modern and sustainable solutions for urban water management in water-sensitive cities. The focus is on stormwater control and water supply strategies for the mitigation of effects on the water cycles due to human settlements and climate change. In particular, the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into urban drainage systems, the use of alternative water resources, and the reduction of losses and waste, make...

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What is climate change ? How are mountain regions affected by the evolution of water resources and their uses ? What kind of risks need to be considered ? Mountains are recognized as particularly sensitive physical environments where intense and rapid changes have in the past, and may increasingly in the future, place pressure on their resource base. In this context, a team of roughly 100 experts worked from 2008 to 2013 for the European ACQWA project (www.acqwa.ch) which was coordinated by the...

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5. Managing Major Engineering Projects

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15. Mastering Construction/Project Management

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Mastering Construction-Project Management in less than 10 Hours...

16. Construction Procurement Management

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17. Hydraulic schematics and calculation exercises

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Hydraulic diagrams and hydraulic problems...

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19. Garnett Cross Training in the Maintenance of Oil Hydraulics

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20. Construction Methodology Basics in Civil Engineering

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Top 10 most affordable universities for senior water resources engineers

The most affordable schools for senior water resources engineers are University of Florida, university of south florida, and city college of new york of the city university of new york, the.

If the best universities for senior water resources 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 water resources engineers.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

3. 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

4. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

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 water resources engineers

The hardest universities for senior water resources engineers to get into are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for senior water resources 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 water resources 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. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,545

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

8. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior water resources engineers

The easiest schools for senior water resources engineers to get into are Portland State University, washington state university, and oregon institute of technology.

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

1. Portland State University

Portland, OR • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,111

2. Washington State University

Pullman, WA • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,123

3. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

4. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

5. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

6. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

7. University of Wyoming

Laramie, WY • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,202

8. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

9. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

10. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

Average senior water resources engineer salary by education level

Senior water resources engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $98,492 annually. With a Master's degree, senior water resources engineers earn a median annual income of $94,834 compared to $88,930 for senior water resources engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
Senior water resources engineer education levelSenior water resources engineer salary
Master's Degree$94,834
High School Diploma or Less$78,043
Bachelor's Degree$88,930
Doctorate Degree$98,492
Some College/ Associate Degree$80,360

Senior water resources 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.

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