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Water resource project manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a water resource project manager. Water resource project managers usually study civil engineering, engineering, or soil science. 67% of water resource project managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 44 real water resource project manager resumes to see exactly what water resource project manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for water resource project managers are the Utah State University and the Utah State University.

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

What education do you need to become a water resource project manager?

What degree do you need to be a water resource project manager?

The most common degree for water resource project managers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of water resource project managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 26% and master's degree degree at 3%.
  • Bachelor's, 67%
  • Master's, 26%
  • High School Diploma, 3%
  • Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a water resource project manager?

You should major in civil engineering to become a water resource project manager. 26% of water resource project managers major in civil engineering. Other common majors for a water resource project manager include engineering and soil science.

Most common colleges for water resource project managers

Water resource project managers often get their degrees at Utah State University, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, and Southern Oregon University. Here are the most common colleges for water resource project managers in the US based on their resumes.
Water resource project manager common collegePercentages
Utah State University12.50%
University of Nevada - Las Vegas8.33%
Southern Oregon University8.33%
New York University4.17%
University of Notre Dame4.17%

Best majors for water resource project managers

RankMajorPercentages
1Civil Engineering25.6%
2Engineering10.3%
3Soil Science7.7%
4Geology7.7%
5Environmental Science7.7%

Best colleges for water resource project managers

The best colleges for water resource project managers are Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

A water resource project manager 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 resource project managers. 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 resource project managers.

1. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

6. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

7. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

8. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

10. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

20 best online courses for water resource project managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for water resource project managers

The most affordable schools for water resource project managers are University of Florida, florida state university, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for water resource project managers 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 resource project managers.

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. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

6. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

7. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

9. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

10. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for water resource project managers

The hardest universities for water resource project managers to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for water resource project managers 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 resource project managers 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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

2. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

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. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,545

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for water resource project managers

The easiest schools for water resource project managers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, gwynedd mercy university, and mount saint mary's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a water resource project manager 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 resource project managers.

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

9. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average water resource project manager salary by education level

Water resource project managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $106,868 annually. With a Master's degree, water resource project managers earn a median annual income of $102,194 compared to $94,719 for water resource project managers with an Bachelor's degree.
Water resource project manager education levelWater resource project manager salary
Master's Degree$102,194
High School Diploma or Less$81,173
Bachelor's Degree$94,719
Doctorate Degree$106,868
Some College/ Associate Degree$84,029

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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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