Machine Shop Tech

Types of Degrees Machine Shop Tech Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many machine shop technology/assistant graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	1,179
Undergraduate Certificate	356
Associate Degree	128

What Machine Shop Tech Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, machine shop tech majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Machine Shop Tech Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Skills for Machine Shop Tech Majors

A major in machine shop tech prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or 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.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities for Machine Shop Tech Majors

As a machine shop tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• 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 Machine Shop Tech Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with machine shop tech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic	1.1%	$40,070
Machinists	2.0%	$43,630

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Machine Shop Tech

Some degrees associated with machine shop 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.

Find out what the typical degree level is for machine shop tech careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	7.6%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	51.6%
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)	27.4%
Some College Courses	6.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	4.6%
Bachelor’s Degree	2.1%
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.	0.9%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.0%

Online Machine Shop 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)	88	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	4	0
Associate’s Degree	55	0
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 Machine Shop Tech

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to machine shop tech.

Major	Number of Grads
Welding Technology/Welder	50,561
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	3,090
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	2,268
Tool & Die Technology/Technician	500
Metal Fabricator	392
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	389
Other Precision Metal Working	254
Ironworking/Ironworker	235

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.