Structural test engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a structural test engineer. Structural test engineers usually study mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or civil engineering. 83% of structural test engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 9% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 79 real structural test engineer resumes to see exactly what structural test engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for structural test engineers are the Wichita State University and the Wichita State University.

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

What education do you need to become a structural test engineer?

What degree do you need to be a structural test engineer?

The most common degree for structural test engineers is bachelor's degree, with 83% of structural test engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 9% and master's degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 83%

Master's, 9%

Associate, 6%

High School Diploma, 2%

What should I major in to become a structural test engineer?

You should major in mechanical engineering to become a structural test engineer. 33% of structural test engineers major in mechanical engineering. Other common majors for a structural test engineer include aerospace engineering and civil engineering.

Mechanical Engineering, 33%

Aerospace Engineering, 17%

Civil Engineering, 14%

Mechanical Engineering Technology, 6%

Other Majors, 30%

Most common colleges for structural test engineers

Structural test engineers often get their degrees at Wichita State University, Purdue University, and Pennsylvania State University. Here are the most common colleges for structural test engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Structural test engineer common college	Percentages
Wichita State University	16.13%
Purdue University	9.68%
Pennsylvania State University	9.68%
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville	6.45%
Randolph-Macon College	6.45%

Show more common structural test engineer colleges

Best majors for structural test engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mechanical Engineering	33.3%
2	Aerospace Engineering	16.7%
3	Civil Engineering	13.6%
4	Mechanical Engineering Technology	6.1%
5	Engineering	4.5%

Show more common structural test engineer majors

Best colleges for structural test engineers

The best colleges for structural test engineers are California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A structural test 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 test 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 test engineers.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

20 best online courses for structural test engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for structural test engineers

The most affordable schools for structural test engineers are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for structural test 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 test 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. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo

Arecibo, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,872

Cost of attendance

13,476

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Cost of attendance

28,501

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for structural test engineers

The hardest universities for structural test engineers to get into are California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for structural test 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 test 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. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,566

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,545

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for structural test engineers

The easiest schools for structural test engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, capitol technology university, and cleveland state university.

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

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

4. Wichita State University

Wichita, KS • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,152

5. University of Nevada - Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

1,113

6. The Citadel

Charleston, SC • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,129

7. Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,093

8. Alabama A & M University

Normal, AL • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

957

9. University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,050

10. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

Average structural test engineer salary by education level

Structural test engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $98,370 annually. With a Master's degree, structural test engineers earn a median annual income of $92,982 compared to $84,202 for structural test engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Structural test engineer education level	Structural test engineer salary
Master's Degree	$92,982
Bachelor's Degree	$84,202
Doctorate Degree	$98,370

Structural test engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Structural Test Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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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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