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Computer Certifications

Types of Degrees Computer Certifications Majors Are Earning

Those studying Computer Certifications may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	74
Associate’s Degree	5
Master’s Degree	341

What Computer Certifications Majors Need to Know

Programs in Computer Certifications develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Computer Certifications graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Computer Certifications emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills built by a Computer Certifications program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Programming — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Computer Certifications careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Computer Certifications graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.9 / 7
Processing Information	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Computer Certifications professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Relational database management software	Data base management system software	—
Swift	Object or component oriented development software	—
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
IBM Domino	Communications server software	—
JUnit	Program testing software	—
Job control language JCL	Operating system software	—
JavaScript	Web platform development software	✓
Common Lisp Object System CLOS	Object or component oriented development software	—
Puppet	Configuration management software	—
Oberon	Object or component oriented development software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Computer Certifications graduates include:

• Beta Tester
• Malware Analyst
• Bug Bounty Hunter
• Application Programmer
• Computer Programmer Analyst
• Graphic Engineer
• Object-Oriented Programmer
• Application Programmer Analyst
• Scientific Programmer
• Automation Programmer
• Client Server Programmer
• Statistical Programmer
• Computer Language Coder
• Video Game Programmer
• COBOL Programmer (Common Business Oriented Language Programmer)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Computer Certifications graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	77.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	13.3%
Some college courses	3.9%
Postsecondary certificate	2.7%
Master’s degree	1.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Computer Certifications?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 71.9% of Computer Certifications degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	118	28.1%
Men	302	71.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Computer Certifications graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	269	64.0%
Asian	23	5.5%
Hispanic or Latino	46	11.0%
Black or African American	42	10.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.5%
Two or More Races	21	5.0%
Race Unknown	12	2.9%
International Students	5	1.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Computer Certifications Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Computer Certifications graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,537
4 years	$60,237
5 years	$68,349

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $68,349 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Computer Certifications Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Computer Certifications graduates earn a median of $60,237 four years after completion — roughly 59% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Computer Programming	11.02
Computer Game Programming	11.0204
Computer Programming, Other	11.0299
Computer Programming, Specific Applications	11.0202
Computer Programming, Specific Platforms	11.0205
Computer Programming/Programmer, General	11.0201
Computer Science	11.0701
Cloud Computing	11.0902
Informatics	11.0104
Information Technology	11.0103
Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation	11.0804
Artificial Intelligence	11.0102

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.