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Water project engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a water project engineer. Water project engineers usually study civil engineering, mechanical engineering, or engineering. 80% of water project engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 78 real water project engineer resumes to see exactly what water project engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for water project engineers are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.

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

What education do you need to become a water project engineer?

What degree do you need to be a water project engineer?

The most common degree for water project engineers is bachelor's degree, with 80% of water project engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 80%
  • Master's, 11%
  • Associate, 8%
  • Diploma, 2%

What should I major in to become a water project engineer?

You should major in civil engineering to become a water project engineer. 26% of water project engineers major in civil engineering. Other common majors for a water project engineer include mechanical engineering and engineering.

Most common colleges for water project engineers

Water project engineers often get their degrees at University of Houston, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Here are the most common colleges for water project engineers in the US based on their resumes.
Water project engineer common collegePercentages
University of Houston8.00%
University of California, Santa Barbara8.00%
Worcester Polytechnic Institute8.00%
University of Massachusetts Boston8.00%
Kent State University8.00%

Best majors for water project engineers

Best colleges for water project engineers

The best colleges for water project engineers are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Johns Hopkins University.

A water project 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 water project 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 water project engineers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

5. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

7. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

20 best online courses for water project engineers

Advertising disclosure

1. Sustainable Urban Water Systems

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The MOOC “Sustainable Urban Water Systems” aims to provide knowledge about modern and sustainable solutions for urban water management in water-sensitive cities. The focus is on stormwater control and water supply strategies for the mitigation of effects on the water cycles due to human settlements and climate change. In particular, the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into urban drainage systems, the use of alternative water resources, and the reduction of losses and waste, make...

2. Climate Change and Water in Mountains: A Global Concern

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What is climate change ? How are mountain regions affected by the evolution of water resources and their uses ? What kind of risks need to be considered ? Mountains are recognized as particularly sensitive physical environments where intense and rapid changes have in the past, and may increasingly in the future, place pressure on their resource base. In this context, a team of roughly 100 experts worked from 2008 to 2013 for the European ACQWA project (www.acqwa.ch) which was coordinated by the...

3. Design of Water Treatment Systems for Beginners

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4.7
(269)

Learn how to fully design a water treatment system for small to medium scale projects...

4. Water Treatment Process Design

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4.4
(396)

design water treatment& RO/NF plants, sand& multimedia filter, iron& manganese removal filter, Ion exchange DI& softener...

5. Education on climate change: water and soil

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This course delves into the connection between water, climate change, and how living organisms adapt to these shifts. It also explores concepts related to agriculture, food, and food sovereignty. Additionally, it introduces a range of online games that enhance the integration and practical application of the developing conceptual knowledge...

6. Engineering Project Management: Risk, Quality, Teams, and Procurement

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Many Project Managers focus only on the scope, schedule and budget. However, a successful project requires that you manage risk, control the quality of the deliverables, engage and manage people and procure goods and services. This course will focus on these key support functions that make the difference between a highly successful project and an average one. During the course, you will prepare a Qualitative Risk Analysis and Evaluate the Cost of Quality for a provided Case Study. By the end of...

7. Construction Cost Estimating and Management

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4.6
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Learn the tools used by construction management professionals to ensure their projects finish under budget...

8. A Practical Introduction to 1D River Modelling using HEC-RAS

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A step-by-step guide to building, running and interpreting 1D HEC-RAS models. Now with downloadable companion guide...

9. Projects Cost Management, Estimating, Budgeting and Control.

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Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...

10. IT Project Budget & Cost Management

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Project Management tips to manage a million dollar IT Project budget from start to finish...

11. Quantity Surveying Building Estimation BBS with Excel & CAD

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Quantity Surveying, Construction Estimation ,Quantity survey ,Cost Estimation ,Civil engineering, Building Estimation...

12. Step-by-Step Learn Wonderware InTouch SCADA (PLC-SCADA-2)

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Complete practical Training on Wonderware In Touch SCADA With Industry Based Examples In Touch SCADA A-Z...

13. Mastering Construction/Project Management

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4.2
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Mastering Construction-Project Management in less than 10 Hours...

14. Construction Project Scheduling

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(346)

Learn the tools and techniques used by construction management professionals to ensure projects finish on time...

15. Quantity Surveying Building Estimation,Cad Excel & Planswift

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4.4
(2,658)

Quantity Surveying, Quantity Takeoff, BBS In Excel ,Complete Project In Autocad, Project Planning With Primavera P6...

16. Learn Estimating & Cost Control

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4
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Develop a good practical understanding of best practice estimating and cost control on building & construction Projects...

17. An Introduction to the DNP3 SCADA Communications Protocol

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Learn the fundamentals of the DNP3 SCADA protocol using both a theoretical and practical approach...

18. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers

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Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...

19. Project Management: Cost & Schedule Monitoring using EVM

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Earned Value Management, Project Management, Cost Control & Monitor, Budget, Schedule & Cost Variance, Performance Index...

20. Complete Solar Energy Design Course From Zero To Hero

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The Most Comprehensive and Detailed Course on Designing Off-grid, On-grid, and Solar Water Pumping Systems for Beginners...

Top 10 most affordable universities for water project engineers

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

If the best universities for water project 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 water project 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. 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

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for water project engineers

The hardest universities for water project engineers to get into are Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for water project 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 water project 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

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 water project engineers

The easiest schools for water project engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, texas a&m; university - kingsville, and pennsylvania state university - dubois.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a water project 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 water project 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. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois

DuBois, PA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,079

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

5. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

6. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

7. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

8. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

9. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

10. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

Average water project engineer salary by education level

According to our data, water project engineers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $80,258 annually. Water project engineers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $78,042.
Water project engineer education levelWater project engineer salary
Master's Degree$80,258
Bachelor's Degree$78,042

Water project engineer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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