Expand mobile version menu

What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Government and Public Administration cluster Public Management and Administration pathway.

Insider Info

Additional Information

Patent examiners need to have at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field. A science or engineering specialty is most common.

Patent agent Leonard Heyman agrees. "Examiners are required to have a bachelor's degree in some technical area such as engineering or science," he says. The U.S. PTO likes candidates who have several years of experience as well.

"There is no specific college program or school that trains people to be patent examiners," says patent examiner Leo Boudreau. "The U.S. PTO has its own patent academy and patent examiners receive both on-the-job and formal training as part of their employment."