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hydroelectric energy technology

What hydroelectric energy technology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for hydroelectric energy technology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that hydroelectric energy technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing hydroelectric energy technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a hydroelectric energy technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Operation and Control — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to hydroelectric energy technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, hydroelectric energy technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.1 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.8 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.8 / 7
Processing Information	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by hydroelectric energy technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Distributed control system DCS	Industrial control software	—
Operating system software	Operating system software	—
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software	Industrial control software	—
Computerized maintenance management system CMMS	Facilities management software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for hydroelectric energy technology graduates include:

• Hydroelectric Operator
• Power Plant Technician (Power Plant Tech)
• Hydroelectric Plant Operator
• Power Plant Operator
• Plant Operator
• Auxiliary Operator
• Booster Operator
• Powerhouse Attendant
• Hydrogen Plant Operator
• Power Operator
• Hydro Plant Operator
• Carbon Sequestration Plant Engineer
• Production Generalist
• Control Room Operator
• Hydroelectric Plant Power Generation Engineer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to hydroelectric energy 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	45.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	21.2%
Postsecondary certificate	12.4%
Bachelor’s degree	10.3%
Some college courses	7.2%
Less than a high school diploma	1.8%
Master’s degree	0.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.8%

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

How Much Do hydroelectric energy technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of hydroelectric energy technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$64,973
4 years	$59,663
5 years	$66,892

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $66,892 — roughly 3% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in hydroelectric energy technology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, hydroelectric energy technology graduates earn a median of $59,663 four years after completion — roughly 57% 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
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians	15.17
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians, Other	15.1799
Energy Systems Technology/Technician	15.1701
Geothermal Energy Technology/Technician	15.1706
Power Plant Technology/Technician	15.1702
Solar Energy Technology/Technician	15.1703
Wind Energy Technology/Technician	15.1704
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.0001
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.0101
Audio Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0307
Biomedical Technology/Technician	15.0401
Chemical Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0615

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.