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Solar energy engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a solar energy engineer. Solar energy engineers usually study mechanical engineering, computer science, or pharmacology. 65% of solar energy engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 27 real solar energy engineer resumes to see exactly what solar energy engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for solar energy engineers are the Cornell University and the Cornell University.
There are also many online solar energy engineer courses to help get the education required to be a solar energy engineer.
What education do you need to become a solar energy engineer?
What degree do you need to be a solar energy engineer?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 6%
What should I major in to become a solar energy engineer?
- Computer Science, 11%
- Pharmacology, 5%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for solar energy engineers
| Solar energy engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Cornell University | 22.22% |
| City College of New York of the City University of New York, The | 11.11% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 11.11% |
| University of Florida | 11.11% |
| California State University - Chico | 11.11% |
Best majors for solar energy engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 47.4% |
| 2 | Computer Science | 10.5% |
| 3 | Pharmacology | 5.3% |
| 4 | Environmental Engineering | 5.3% |
| 5 | Forestry | 5.3% |
Best colleges for solar energy engineers
The best colleges for solar energy engineers are Duke University, Northwestern University, and California Institute of Technology.
A solar energy 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 solar energy 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 solar energy engineers.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
20 best online courses for solar energy engineers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for solar energy engineers
The most affordable schools for solar energy engineers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - los angeles.
If the best universities for solar energy 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 solar energy engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
4. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
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. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for solar energy engineers
The hardest universities for solar energy engineers to get into are Duke University, Northwestern University, and California Institute of Technology.
Some great schools for solar energy 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 solar energy 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for solar energy engineers
The easiest schools for solar energy engineers to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, oregon institute of technology, and san francisco state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a solar energy 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 solar energy engineers.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
3. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
4. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
5. Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,072
6. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
7. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
8. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
9. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
10. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
Average solar energy engineer salary by education level
| Solar energy engineer education level | Solar energy engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $101,622 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $88,519 |
| Doctorate Degree | $114,411 |
Solar energy engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025