Precision Systems

Types of Degrees Precision Systems Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many precision systems maintenance graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Associate Degree	1,017
Undergraduate Certificate	1,011
Basic Certificate	273

What Precision Systems Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to precision systems 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 Precision Systems Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in precision systems should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• 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.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Precision Systems Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to precision systems:

• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Precision Systems Majors

As a precision systems major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• 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.

What Can You Do With a Precision Systems Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with precision systems:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Geothermal Technicians	8.2%	$39,320
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners	1.2%	$36,330
Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers	1.6%	$57,610

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Precision Systems

Some careers associated with precision systems require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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 precision systems have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	6.9%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	47.8%
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)	29.7%
Some College Courses	6.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	4.4%
Bachelor’s Degree	3.5%
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.	0.1%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.4%

Online Precision Systems 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)	24	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	7	0
Associate’s Degree	26	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	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 Precision Systems

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to precision systems.

Major	Number of Grads
Vehicle Maintenance & Repair	68,347
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation & Refrigeration	21,415
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance	8,614
Electronics Maintenance & Repair	7,979
Mechanic & Repair Tech (Other)	1,175
Mechanics & Repairers	431
Energy Systems Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	146

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
• Image Credit: By Phasmatisnox under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.