Automation Engineer Tech

Types of Degrees Automation Engineer Tech Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Associate Degree	488
Undergraduate Certificate	330
Basic Certificate	267
Bachelor’s Degree	142
Master’s Degree	7

What Automation Engineer Tech Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to automation engineer tech and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Automation Engineer Tech Majors

Automation Engineer Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• 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.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills for Automation Engineer Tech Majors

When studying automation engineer 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:

• Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Abilities for Automation Engineer Tech Majors

Automation Engineer Tech majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• 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.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

What Can You Do With a Automation Engineer Tech Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with automation engineer tech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Electro-Mechanical Technicians	3.6%	$57,790
Robotics Technicians	3.6%	$57,790

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Automation Engineer Tech?

This major attracts more men than women. About 89% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1
Black or African American	15
Hispanic or Latino	22
White	87
International Students	1
Other Races/Ethnicities	16

Geographic Diversity

Automation Engineer Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 0.7% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Automation Engineer Tech

Some degrees associated with automation engineer 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 automation engineer tech have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	10.9%
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)	26.4%
Some College Courses	7.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	43.1%
Bachelor’s Degree	10.4%
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.	2.2%

Online Automation Engineer 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)	38	3
Certificate (2-4 Years)	5	0
Associate’s Degree	58	2
Bachelor’s Degree	2	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Automation Engineer Tech

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

Major	Number of Grads
Electromechanical Technology/Electromechanical Engineering Technology	2,660
Instrumentation Technology	2,543
Other Electromechanical & Instrumentation & Maintenance Technologies/Technicians	1,976
Biomedical Technology	1,384
Robotics Technology	600
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology	599

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.