Engineering Tech

Types of Degrees Engineering Tech Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many engineering technologies graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	24,231
Associate Degree	21,380
Bachelor’s Degree	17,824
Undergraduate Certificate	12,824
Master’s Degree	8,568
Graduate Certificate	1,179
Doctor’s Degree	182

What Engineering Tech Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, engineering tech 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 Engineering Tech Majors

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

• 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.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Skills for Engineering Tech Majors

When studying engineering tech, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Abilities for Engineering Tech Majors

As you progress with your engineering tech degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 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.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Engineering Tech Major?

People with a engineering tech degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Automotive Master Mechanics	6.1%	$40,710
Commercial and Industrial Designers	4.3%	$66,590
Construction Managers	11.1%	$93,370
Electrical Engineering Technicians	2.0%	$64,330
Environmental Engineering Technicians	12.4%	$50,560
Geological Sample Test Technicians	16.0%	$53,300
Heating and Air Conditioning Mechanics and Installers	14.7%	$47,610
Industrial Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Industrial Engineers	9.7%	$87,040
Manufacturing Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Manufacturing Engineers	6.4%	$96,980
Manufacturing Production Technicians	5.2%	$63,200
Mapping Technicians	10.6%	$44,380
Medical Equipment Repairers	4.2%	$49,210
Nanotechnology Engineering Technicians	5.2%	$63,200
Non-Destructive Testing Specialists	5.2%	$63,200
Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	14.7%	$47,610
Solar Photovoltaic Installers	104.4%	$42,680

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Tech?

This major attracts more men than women. About 84% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of engineering tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	960
Black or African American	1,398
Hispanic or Latino	2,672
White	10,716
International Students	827
Other Races/Ethnicities	1,251

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Engineering Tech, too. About 4.6% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Engineering Tech

Some degrees associated with engineering tech 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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to engineering tech have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	2.9%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	14.5%
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)	15.1%
Some College Courses	8.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	18.2%
Bachelor’s Degree	30.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	1.3%
Master’s Degree	6.3%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.4%
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.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	1.6%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.7%

Online Engineering Tech 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)	3,536	120
Certificate (2-4 Years)	134	6
Associate’s Degree	6,546	256
Bachelor’s Degree	274	76
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	704	186
Post-Master’s	16	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	66	8
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	6	4
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	2	0

Majors Related to Engineering Tech

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to engineering tech.

Major	Number of Grads
Engineering	198,720
Biological & Biomedical Sciences	180,784
Agriculture & Agriculture Operations	51,081
Mathematics & Statistics	49,970
Physical Sciences	47,709
Natural Resources & Conservation	32,106
Architecture & Related Services	19,716
Science Technologies / Technicians	6,771
Military Technologies & Applied Sciences	4,568

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
• Image Credit: By KUKA Systems GmbH under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.