Communications Technology/Technician

Types of Degrees Communications Technology/Technician Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many communications technology/technician graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	490
Bachelor’s Degree	294
Associate Degree	144
Undergraduate Certificate	52
Master’s Degree	10

What Communications Technology/Technician Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, communications technology/technician majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Communications Technology/Technician Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Skills for Communications Technology/Technician Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to communications technology/technician:

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities for Communications Technology/Technician Majors

A major in communications technology/technician will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Communications Technology/Technician Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with communications technology/technician:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Film and Video Editors	17.0%	$62,650
Media and Communication Workers	10.0%	$48,330
Sound Engineering Technicians	6.5%	$52,390

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Technology/Technician?

This major attracts more men than women. About 85% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of communications technology/technician majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	9
Black or African American	59
Hispanic or Latino	90
White	106
International Students	1
Other Races/Ethnicities	29

Geographic Diversity

Communications Technology/Technician appeals to people across the globe. About 0.3% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Communications Technology/Technician

Some degrees associated with communications technology/technician may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for communications technology/technician careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	3.6%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	21.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	16.1%
Some College Courses	19.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	21.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	20.0%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	1.2%

Online Communications Technology/Technician Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	16	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	17	1
Bachelor’s Degree	2	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	5	1
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.