Solar mechanical engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a solar mechanical engineer. Solar mechanical engineers usually study mechanical engineering, psychology, or economics. 50% of solar mechanical engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 25% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 16 real solar mechanical engineer resumes to see exactly what solar mechanical engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for solar mechanical engineers are the Montclair State University and the Montclair State University.

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

What education do you need to become a solar mechanical engineer?

What degree do you need to be a solar mechanical engineer?

The most common degree for solar mechanical engineers is bachelor's degree, with 50% of solar mechanical engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 13%.

Bachelor's, 50%

Associate, 25%

Master's, 13%

Other Degrees, 12%

What should I major in to become a solar mechanical engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become a solar mechanical engineer. 30% of solar mechanical engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for a solar mechanical engineer include psychology and economics.

Mechanical Engineering, 30%

Psychology, 20%

Economics, 10%

Nuclear Engineering, 10%

Other Majors, 30%

Most common colleges for solar mechanical engineers

Solar mechanical engineers often get their degrees at Montclair State University, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, and University of Massachusetts Boston. Here are the most common colleges for solar mechanical engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Solar mechanical engineer common college	Percentages
Montclair State University	33.33%
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	16.67%
University of Massachusetts Boston	16.67%
Stevens Institute of Technology	16.67%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	16.67%

Best majors for solar mechanical engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mechanical Engineering	30.0%
2	Psychology	20.0%
3	Economics	10.0%
4	Nuclear Engineering	10.0%
5	Music	10.0%

Show more common solar mechanical engineer majors

Best colleges for solar mechanical engineers

The best colleges for solar mechanical engineers are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A solar mechanical 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 mechanical 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 mechanical engineers.

1. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

6. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

8. University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$9,222

Enrollment

23,396

9. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

10. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

20 best online courses for solar mechanical engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for solar mechanical engineers

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

If the best universities for solar mechanical 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 mechanical 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. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for solar mechanical engineers

The hardest universities for solar mechanical engineers to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for solar mechanical 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 mechanical 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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

7. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for solar mechanical engineers

The easiest schools for solar mechanical engineers to get into are Life University, notre dame de namur university, and the university of texas permian basin.

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

1. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

4. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

9. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

10. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

Average solar mechanical engineer salary by education level

According to our data, solar mechanical engineers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $113,896 annually. Solar mechanical engineers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $105,272.

Solar mechanical engineer education level	Solar mechanical engineer salary
Master's Degree	$105,272
Bachelor's Degree	$93,249
Doctorate Degree	$113,896

Solar mechanical engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Solar Mechanical Engineers?

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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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