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Thermodynamics engineer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a thermodynamics engineer. Thermodynamics engineers usually study mechanical engineering, engineering, or mathematics and computer science. 65% of thermodynamics engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 22 real thermodynamics engineer resumes to see exactly what thermodynamics engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for thermodynamics engineers are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.
There are also many online thermodynamics engineer courses to help get the education required to be a thermodynamics engineer.
What education do you need to become a thermodynamics engineer?
What degree do you need to be a thermodynamics engineer?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 12%
- High School Diploma, 6%
What should I major in to become a thermodynamics engineer?
- Engineering, 10%
- Management, 5%
- Other Majors, 28%
Most common colleges for thermodynamics engineers
| Thermodynamics engineer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 14.29% |
| Florida International University | 14.29% |
| University of Colorado at Boulder | 7.14% |
| Rice University | 7.14% |
| University of Alabama at Huntsville | 7.14% |
Best majors for thermodynamics engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 52.4% |
| 2 | Engineering | 9.5% |
| 3 | Mathematics And Computer Science | 4.8% |
| 4 | Management | 4.8% |
| 5 | Occupational Safety And Health | 4.8% |
Best colleges for thermodynamics engineers
The best colleges for thermodynamics engineers are California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.
A thermodynamics 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 thermodynamics 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 thermodynamics engineers.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
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. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
7. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for thermodynamics engineers
Advertising disclosure
1. Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 2
An appreciation of thermodynamics is required to become a chemical and biomolecular engineer. Thermodynamics can assess the viability of a process and is one of the curriculum's most essential topics. The principles are utilized in following engineering courses (kinetics, mass transfer, design, materials) and are applicable to numerous engineering disciplines. The increased emphasis on energy usage and transformation as a result of rising demand, diminishing supply, and global warming...
2. Statistical Thermodynamics
This specialization was developed for the mechanical or aerospace engineering advanced undergraduate graduate or graduate student who already has a strong background in undergraduate engineering thermodynamics and is ready to tackle the underlying fundamentals of the subject. It is designed for those entering advanced fields such as combustion, high temperature gas dynamics, environmental sciences, or materials processing, or wishes to build a background for understanding advanced experimental...
3. Thermodynamics for Engineering Students
A Detailed Introduction to Thermodynamics...
4. Flow of fluids through piping systems , valves and pumps
Learn to size valves & piping systems, calculate pressure drop, flow of liquids & gases through pipe , fittings & valves...
5. Introduction to Thermodynamics: Transferring Energy from Here to There
COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides an introduction to the most powerful engineering principles you will ever learn - Thermodynamics: the science of transferring energy from one place or form to another place or form. We will introduce the tools you need to analyze energy systems from solar panels, to engines, to insulated coffee mugs. More specifically, we will cover the topics of mass and energy conservation principles; first law analysis of control mass and control volume systems;...
6. Statistical Thermodynamics: Molecules to Machines
Modern engineering research focuses on designing new materials and processes at the molecular level. Statistical thermodynamics provides the formalism for understanding how molecular interactions lead to the observed collective behavior at the macroscale. This course will develop a molecular-level understanding of key thermodynamic quantities like heat, work, free energy and entropy. These concepts will be applied in understanding several important engineering and biological applications...
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Real world project for Data Engineers using Azure Data Factory, SQL, Data Lake, Databricks, HDInsight, CI/CD [DP203]...
10. Complete Field Instrumentation Engineering Course
Flow, Level, Temperature and Pressure Instrument - Selection, Sizing, Calculation and Detail Engineering...
11. Computational Fluid Dynamics Fundamentals Course
Fundamentals and First Principles...
12. Practice Exams: Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate
Practice Tests with Detailed Explanations for Databricks Data Engineer Associate certification exam (Versions 2 and 3)...
13. Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate - Preparation
Preparation course for Databricks Data Engineer Associate certification exam (Versions 2 and 3) with hands-on training...
14. Databricks Certified Data Engineer Professional -Preparation
Preparation course for Databricks Data Engineer Professional certification exam with hands-on training...
15. Control Systems: From Mathematical Modelling to PID Control
Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...
16. Data Engineering using AWS Data Analytics
Build Data Engineering Pipelines on AWS using Data Analytics Services - Glue, EMR, Athena, Kinesis, Lambda, Redshift...
17. Computational Fluid Dynamics Fundamentals Course 2
Wall Functions, 2D Simulations and Boundary Conditions...
18. An Introduction to Machine Learning for Data Engineers
A Prerequisite for Tensorflow on Google's Cloud Platform for Data Engineers...
19. Model, Simulate and Control a Drone in MATLAB & SIMULINK
Simulate a DJI Mavic Pro in Matlab & SIMULINK and design your own PID controllers for altitude and attitude control...
20. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for Professionals
Skills to improve your CFD results...
Top 10 most affordable universities for thermodynamics engineers
The most affordable schools for thermodynamics engineers are University of Florida, united states merchant marine academy, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for thermodynamics 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 thermodynamics engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$1,080
Cost of attendance
6,646
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
9. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
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 thermodynamics engineers
The hardest universities for thermodynamics engineers to get into are California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for thermodynamics 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 thermodynamics 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
7%
SAT average
1,566
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
5. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
6. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
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
6%
SAT average
1,512
9. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for thermodynamics engineers
The easiest schools for thermodynamics engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, texas a&m; university - kingsville, and the university of texas permian basin.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a thermodynamics 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 thermodynamics engineers.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
3. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
4. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
5. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
6. University of Houston - Downtown
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,012
7. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
10. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
Average thermodynamics engineer salary by education level
| Thermodynamics engineer education level | Thermodynamics engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $73,577 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $67,231 |
| Doctorate Degree | $77,443 |
Thermodynamics engineer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025