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Architectural Engineering Technology

Types of Degrees Architectural Engineering Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Architectural Engineering Technology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	21
Associate’s Degree	645
Bachelor’s Degree	412
Master’s Degree	472

What Architectural Engineering Technology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Architectural Engineering Technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Architectural Engineering Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Architectural Engineering Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Architectural Engineering Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Architectural Engineering Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Architectural Engineering Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Architectural Engineering Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Geographic information system GIS systems	Geographic information system	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Architectural Engineering Technology graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Fire Protection Engineering Technician
• Engineering Technician
• Engineering Assistant
• Civil Designer
• Drafting Technician
• Optics Manufacturing Technician (Optics Manufacturing Tech)
• Fiber Optics Assembler
• Healthcare Laser Technician (Healthcare Laser Tech)
• Surgical Laser Technician (Surgical Laser Tech)
• Optical Fabrication Technician (Optical Fabrication Tech)
• Photonics Engineering Technician (Photonics Engineering Tech)
• Laser Scanners Technician (Laser Scanners Tech)
• Laser Technician (Laser Tech)

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	34.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	24.2%
Postsecondary certificate	13.4%
Some college courses	12.9%
Bachelor’s degree	11.8%
Master’s degree	1.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.6%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Architectural Engineering Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 62.4% of Architectural Engineering Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	585	37.6%
Men	972	62.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Architectural Engineering Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	799	51.3%
Asian	65	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino	367	23.6%
Black or African American	136	8.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	6	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	55	3.5%
Race Unknown	48	3.1%
International Students	80	5.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Architectural Engineering Technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Architectural Engineering Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$62,677
4 years	$63,449
5 years	$65,836

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $65,836 — roughly 5% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Architectural Engineering Technology Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Architectural Engineering Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	4	6

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Architectural Engineering Technology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Architectural Engineering Technology graduates earn a median of $63,449 four years after completion — roughly 67% 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
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.01
3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician	15.1307
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.0001
Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD	15.1303
Audio Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0307
Biomedical Technology/Technician	15.0401
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician	15.1302

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.