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Structural steel engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a structural steel engineer. Structural steel engineers usually study civil engineering, mechanical engineering, or engineering. 73% of structural steel engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 85 real structural steel engineer resumes to see exactly what structural steel engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for structural steel engineers are the Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
There are also many online structural steel engineer courses to help get the education required to be a structural steel engineer.
What education do you need to become a structural steel engineer?
What degree do you need to be a structural steel engineer?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a structural steel engineer?
- Civil Engineering, 40%
- Engineering, 9%
- Graphic Design, 4%
- Other Majors, 34%
Most common colleges for structural steel engineers
| Structural steel engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 9.52% |
| Miracosta College | 4.76% |
| Syracuse University | 4.76% |
| Cairn University | 4.76% |
| Michigan Technological University | 4.76% |
Best majors for structural steel engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Civil Engineering | 39.6% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 13.2% |
| 3 | Engineering | 9.4% |
| 4 | Graphic Design | 3.8% |
| 5 | Computer Science | 3.8% |
Best colleges for structural steel engineers
The best colleges for structural steel engineers are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A structural steel 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 structural steel 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 structural steel engineers.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
4. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
5. University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Lincoln, NE • Private
In-state tuition
$9,242
Enrollment
20,592
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,620
Enrollment
27,730
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
20 best online courses for structural steel engineers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for structural steel engineers
The most affordable schools for structural steel engineers are University of Florida, florida state university, and florida atlantic university.
If the best universities for structural steel 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 structural steel engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
3. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
4. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. 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
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. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for structural steel engineers
The hardest universities for structural steel engineers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Some great schools for structural steel 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 structural steel 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. 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. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for structural steel engineers
The easiest schools for structural steel engineers to get into are Washington State University, oregon institute of technology, and portland state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a structural steel 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 structural steel engineers.
1. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
2. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
3. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,111
4. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
5. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
6. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
7. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
8. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,070
9. North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,170
10. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
Average structural steel engineer salary by education level
| Structural steel engineer education level | Structural steel engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $79,861 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $73,136 |
| Doctorate Degree | $79,374 |
Structural steel engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025