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energy systems technologies (other)

Types of Degrees energy systems technologies (other) Majors Are Earning

People majoring in energy systems technologies (other) can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	3

What energy systems technologies (other) Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in energy systems technologies (other) emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Physics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a energy systems technologies (other) program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to energy systems technologies (other) careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, energy systems technologies (other) graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by energy systems technologies (other) professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
ZEMAX Optical Design Program	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Image processing software	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Enterprise resource planning ERP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for energy systems technologies (other) graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Medical Laser Technician (Medical Laser Tech)
• Optoelectronic Technician (Optoelectronic Tech)
• Fiber Optics Splicer
• Fiber Optics Design Technician (Fiber Optics Design Tech)
• Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech)
• Mobile Laser Technician (Mobile Laser Tech)
• Photonics Engineering Technician (Photonics Engineering Tech)
• Optics Test Technician (Optics Test Tech)
• Photonics Engineering Technologist
• Laser Technician (Laser Tech)
• Fiber Technician (Fiber Tech)
• Splicing Technician (Splicing Tech)
• Photonics Technician (Photonics Tech)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to energy systems technologies (other) graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	47.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	25.4%
Bachelor’s degree	9.2%
Postsecondary certificate	6.9%
Some college courses	6.8%
Master’s degree	2.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in energy systems technologies (other)?

Gender Distribution

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of energy systems technologies (other) graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3	100.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do energy systems technologies (other) Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of energy systems technologies (other) 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	$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 energy systems technologies (other) Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, energy systems technologies (other) 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 Technology/Technician	15.1701
Geothermal Energy Technology/Technician	15.1706
Hydroelectric Energy Technology/Technician	15.1705
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.