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Instrumentation Technology

Types of Degrees Instrumentation Technology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Instrumentation Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	835
Associate’s Degree	1,003
Bachelor’s Degree	33
Master’s Degree	768

What Instrumentation Technology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Instrumentation Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Repairing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Control Precision — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Instrumentation Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Instrumentation Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
MathWorks Simulink	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
UNIX	Operating system software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Instrumentation Technology graduates include:

• Instrument Technician
• Hydrometer Calibrator
• Gyroscope Repairer
• Telescope Maintenance
• Apprentice Instrument Technician
• Taximeter Repairer
• Gauge Controller
• Scale Mechanic
• Scale Adjuster
• Instrument Mechanic
• Scale Tester
• Instrument Worker
• Meteorological Equipment Repairer
• Telescope Repairer
• Gyroscopic Instrument Mechanic

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	31.3%
Postsecondary certificate	30.9%
Bachelor’s degree	11.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	9.8%
Some college courses	6.6%
Master’s degree	5.1%
Doctoral degree	3.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Instrumentation Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 91.6% of Instrumentation Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	226	8.4%
Men	2,471	91.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,711	63.4%
Asian	22	0.8%
Hispanic or Latino	563	20.9%
Black or African American	215	8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	43	1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	54	2.0%
Race Unknown	64	2.4%
International Students	23	0.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Instrumentation Technology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Instrumentation Technology 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	$55,527
4 years	$62,211
5 years	$69,356

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,356 — roughly 25% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Instrumentation Technology Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Instrumentation 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	2	1
Bachelor’s	1	0

^{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 Instrumentation Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Instrumentation Technology graduates earn a median of $62,211 four years after completion — roughly 64% 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
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	15.04
Automation Engineer Technology/Technician	15.0406
Biomedical Technology/Technician	15.0401
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians, Other	15.0499
Electromechanical/Electromechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0403
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0407
Robotics Technology/Technician	15.0405
Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0303
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.0001
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians	15.0000
Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0805

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.