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Other Physical Science Technologies

Types of Degrees Other Physical Science Technologies Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Other Physical Science Technologies can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	5

What Other Physical Science Technologies Majors Need to Know

Studies in Other Physical Science Technologies build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Other Physical Science Technologies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Other Physical Science Technologies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Other Physical Science Technologies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Other Physical Science Technologies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Other Physical Science Technologies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	3.8 / 7
Processing Information	3.8 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.7 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Other Physical Science Technologies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	✓
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
ESRI ArcInfo	Geographic information system	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Other Physical Science Technologies graduates include:

• Smoke Tester
• Hydrographer
• Environmental Test Technician (Environmental Test Tech)
• Biological Lab Tech (Biological Laboratory Technician)
• Environmental Sampling Technician (Environmental Sampling Tech)
• Compliance Technician (Compliance Tech)
• Environmental Analyst
• Environmental Property Assessor
• Waste Specialist
• Leaking Underground Storage Tank Remover (LUST Remover)
• Energy and Conservation Technician (Energy and Conservation Tech)
• Sample Technician (Sample Tech)
• Field Sampling Technician (Field Sampling Tech)
• Natural Resources Technician (Natural Resources Tech)
• Soil Analyst

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Other Physical Science Technologies graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	53.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	17.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	16.3%
Postsecondary certificate	6.3%
Some college courses	3.6%
Less than a high school diploma	1.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Other Physical Science Technologies?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 60% women and 40% men among Other Physical Science Technologies graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3	60.0%
Men	2	40.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Other Physical Science Technologies graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2	40.0%
Asian	1	20.0%
Hispanic or Latino	2	40.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Other Physical Science Technologies Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Other Physical Science Technologies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$54,327
4 years	$82,599
5 years	$92,712

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $92,712 — roughly 71% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Other Physical Science Technologies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Other Physical Science Technologies graduates earn a median of $82,599 four years after completion — roughly 117% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Physical Science Technologies/Technicians	41.03
Chemical Process Technology	41.0303
Chemical Technology/Technician	41.0301
Science Technologies/Technicians, Other	41.9999
Science Technologies/Technicians	41.0000

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.