Science Technologies

Types of Degrees Science Technologies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many science technologies / technicians graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Associate Degree	3,789
Basic Certificate	1,226
Undergraduate Certificate	825
Bachelor’s Degree	532
Master’s Degree	66
Graduate Certificate	13

What Science Technologies Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, science 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 Science 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.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills for Science Tech Majors

science tech majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Science Tech Majors

Science Tech majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• 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.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

What Can You Do With a Science Technologies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with science tech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Biological Technicians	10.1%	$44,500
Chemical Technicians	4.0%	$48,160
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health	12.1%	$46,170
Industrial Engineering Technicians	0.6%	$55,460
Precision Agriculture Technicians	9.7%	$49,670
Quality Control Analysts	9.7%	$49,670
Remote Sensing Technicians	9.7%	$49,670

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Science Technologies?

According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 49% of the graduates are women, and 51% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of science tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	24
Black or African American	45
Hispanic or Latino	133
White	279
International Students	7
Other Races/Ethnicities	44

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Science Tech. About 1.3% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Science Technologies Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science tech have a median salary of $56,036 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $42,237 (25th percentile) and $58,107 (75th percentile).

It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to science tech.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $51,070 to $61,570 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to science tech. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Science Technologies

Some degrees associated with science 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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to science tech have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	1.1%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	25.4%
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)	7.0%
Some College Courses	10.0%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	18.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	31.3%
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.	2.5%
Master’s Degree	3.9%
Doctoral Degree	0.5%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.1%

Online Science Technologies Programs

In 2020-2021, 284 schools offered a science tech program of some type. 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	3
Certificate (2-4 Years)	1	0
Associate’s Degree	238	11
Bachelor’s Degree	10	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	13	4
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Science Technologies Worth It?

The median salary for a science tech grad is $52,940 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 33% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $260,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Science Technologies

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

Major	Number of Grads
Computer & Information Sciences	254,454
Engineering	198,468
Biological & Biomedical Sciences	177,778
Engineering Technologies	85,188
Mathematics & Statistics	52,396
Physical Sciences	50,306
Agriculture & Agriculture Operations	49,899
Natural Resources & Conservation	30,503
Architecture & Related Services	17,325
Communications Technologies & Support	14,826

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.