General Science Technologies

Types of Degrees General Science Technologies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general science technologies/technicians graduations there were in 2017-2018 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Associate’s Degree	65
Bachelor’s Degree	47
Undergraduate Certificate	8
Master’s Degree	7

What General Science Technologies Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to science tech 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 Science Tech Majors

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

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• 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.
• 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.
• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills for Science Tech Majors

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

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities for Science Tech Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a science tech student include the following:

• 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).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a General Science Technologies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with science tech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
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 General Science Technologies?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 47 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in general science technologies/technicians in 2018, making it rank #291 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 94% of recent graduates 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	1
Black or African American	16
Hispanic or Latino	3
White	24
International Students	1
Other Races/Ethnicities	2

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Science Tech. About 2.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• Saudi Arabia
• India
• South Korea
• Indonesia

How Much Do General Science Technologies Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Science Tech majors often go into careers with median salaries of $52,940. This median refers to all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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 General Science Technologies

Some careers associated with science tech 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.

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

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.8%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	13.3%
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)	3.4%
Some College Courses	11.2%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	10.2%
Bachelor’s Degree	54.3%
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.	3.8%
Master’s Degree	3.6%

Online General Science Technologies Programs

In 2017-2018, 13 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)	2	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	7	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	1	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in General 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 General Science Technologies

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

Major	Number of Grads
Physical Science Technicians	2,922
Other Science Technologies/Technicians	2,313
Biology & Biotech Lab Technician	786
Nuclear & Radiological Technicians	402

References

• 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 Chrissy Cuttita, 45th Space Wing Public Affairs under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.