Physical Science Technicians

Types of Degrees Physical Science Technicians Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Associate Degree	1,383
Basic Certificate	858
Undergraduate Certificate	655
Master’s Degree	13

What Physical Science Technicians Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to physical science tech were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Physical Science Tech Majors

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

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• 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.
• 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 Physical Science Tech Majors

When studying physical science tech, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• 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 Physical Science Tech Majors

As a physical science tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• 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 Physical Science Technicians Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with physical science tech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
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

How Much Do Physical Science Technicians Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $51,070 to $58,860 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to physical science tech. This range includes 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 Physical Science Technicians

Some degrees associated with physical science tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	1.7%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	23.3%
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)	3.1%
Some College Courses	11.5%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	17.0%
Bachelor’s Degree	37.8%
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.	2.4%
Master’s Degree	2.8%
Doctoral Degree	0.5%

Online Physical Science Technicians Programs

In 2020-2021, 95 schools offered a physical 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)	38	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	75	1
Bachelor’s Degree	2	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	3	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 Physical Science Technicians Worth It?

The median salary for a physical science tech grad is $51,670 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 29% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $235,400 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Physical Science Technicians

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

Major	Number of Grads
Other Science Technologies/Technicians	2,451
Biology & Biotech Lab Technician	732
Nuclear & Radiological Technicians	299
General Science Technologies/Technicians	60

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.