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Structural engineering technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a structural engineering technician. Structural engineering technicians usually study civil engineering, drafting and design, or mechanical engineering. 45% of structural engineering technicians hold a associate degree, and 39% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 125 real structural engineering technician resumes to see exactly what structural engineering technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for structural engineering technicians are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online structural engineering technician courses to help get the education required to be a structural engineering technician.
What education do you need to become a structural engineering technician?
What degree do you need to be a structural engineering technician?
- Associate, 45%
- Bachelor's, 39%
- Master's, 8%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a structural engineering technician?
- Civil Engineering, 23%
- Drafting And Design, 12%
- Graphic Design, 7%
- Other Majors, 48%
Most common colleges for structural engineering technicians
| Structural engineering technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 12.50% |
| University of Central Missouri | 8.33% |
| Oregon State University | 8.33% |
| Louisiana State University and A&M College | 4.17% |
| New York University | 4.17% |
Best majors for structural engineering technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Civil Engineering | 23.3% |
| 2 | Drafting And Design | 12.3% |
| 3 | Mechanical Engineering | 9.6% |
| 4 | Graphic Design | 6.8% |
| 5 | Engineering Technology | 6.8% |
Best colleges for structural engineering technicians
The best colleges for structural engineering technicians are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
A structural engineering technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for structural engineering technicians. 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 structural engineering technicians.
1. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
10. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
20 best online courses for structural engineering technicians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for structural engineering technicians
The most affordable schools for structural engineering technicians are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and california state university - northridge.
If the best universities for structural engineering technicians 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 structural engineering technicians.
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 - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. 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
6. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
7. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,310
Cost of attendance
19,807
8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for structural engineering technicians
The hardest universities for structural engineering technicians to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for structural engineering technicians 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 structural engineering technicians 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. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
6. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
7. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
9. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for structural engineering technicians
The easiest schools for structural engineering technicians to get into are South Dakota State University, portland state university, and purdue university fort wayne.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a structural engineering technician 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 structural engineering technicians.
1. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
2. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
3. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
4. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
5. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,070
6. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
Admissions rate
64%
SAT average
1,030
7. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
8. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
9. California State University - Chico
Chico, CA • Private
Admissions rate
65%
SAT average
1,092
10. Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI • Private
Admissions rate
76%
SAT average
1,025
Average structural engineering technician salary by education level
| Structural engineering technician education level | Structural engineering technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,311 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,472 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,965 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $53,793 |
Structural engineering technician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025