Engineering Technologies

Types of Degrees Engineering Technologies Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	6,549
Graduate Certificate	920
Doctor’s Degree	203

What Engineering Technologies Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to engineering 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 Engineering Tech Majors

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

• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• 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.
• 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 Engineering Tech Majors

engineering 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Abilities for Engineering Tech Majors

As you progress with your engineering tech degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 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.
• 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.

What Can You Do With a Engineering Technologies Major?

People with a engineering tech degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians	6.6%	$67,010
Architectural and Engineering Managers	5.5%	$140,760
Architectural Drafters	8.1%	$54,920
Automotive Engineering Technicians	5.0%	$56,250
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists	19.0%	$64,430
Civil Drafters	8.1%	$54,920
Civil Engineering Technicians	8.9%	$52,580
Commercial and Industrial Designers	4.3%	$66,590
Construction Managers	11.1%	$93,370
Cost Estimators	10.5%	$64,040
Drafters	8.2%	$51,850
Electrical Drafters	6.9%	$60,070
Electrical Engineering Technicians	2.0%	$64,330
Electrical Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Electro-Mechanical Technicians	3.6%	$57,790
Electromechanical Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Electronic Drafters	6.9%	$60,070
Electronics Engineering Technicians	2.0%	$64,330
Electronics Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Engineering Professors	14.7%	$101,720
Environmental Engineering Technicians	12.4%	$50,560
Fuel Cell Technicians	5.2%	$63,200
Geodetic Surveyors	11.2%	$62,580
Geological Sample Test Technicians	16.0%	$53,300
Geophysical Data Technicians	16.0%	$53,300
Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists	9.7%	$87,040
Industrial Engineering Technicians	0.6%	$55,460
Industrial Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Industrial Engineers	9.7%	$87,040
Manufacturing Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Manufacturing Engineers	6.4%	$96,980
Manufacturing Production Technicians	5.2%	$63,200
Mapping Technicians	10.6%	$44,380
Mechanical Drafters	5.2%	$55,920
Mechanical Engineering Technicians	5.0%	$56,250
Mechanical Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Microsystems Engineers	6.4%	$96,980
Nanosystems Engineers	6.4%	$96,980
Nanotechnology Engineering Technicians	5.2%	$63,200
Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Non-Destructive Testing Specialists	5.2%	$63,200
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists	8.1%	$73,020
Photonics Technicians	5.2%	$63,200
Professors	9.4%	$65,660
Robotics Technicians	3.6%	$57,790
Software Developers, Applications	30.7%	$103,620
Software Developers, Systems Software	11.1%	$110,000
Surveying Technicians	10.6%	$44,380
Surveyors	11.2%	$62,580

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Engineering Technologies?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 66% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	340
Black or African American	414
Hispanic or Latino	556
White	2,467
International Students	2,299
Other Races/Ethnicities	473

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Engineering Tech. About 35.1% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Engineering Technologies Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in engineering technologies made a median starting salary of $81,752 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $70,288 (25th percentile) and $97,188 (75th percentile).

One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to engineering tech.

Salaries According to BLS

Engineering Tech majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $52,780 to $76,990 (25th to 75th percentile). 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 Engineering Technologies

Some degrees associated with engineering 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.

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

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	2.9%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	14.5%
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)	15.1%
Some College Courses	8.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	18.2%
Bachelor’s Degree	30.4%
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.	1.3%
Master’s Degree	6.3%
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.	0.4%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	1.6%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.7%

Online Engineering Technologies Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 1,610 schools offered some type of engineering technologies program. 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)	1,809	56
Certificate (2-4 Years)	75	3
Associate’s Degree	3,404	121
Bachelor’s Degree	128	34
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	328	80
Post-Master’s	9	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	35	3
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	2	2
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	1	0

Is a Degree in Engineering Technologies Worth It?

The median salary for a engineering tech grad is $62,890 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 58% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $459,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Engineering Technologies

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

Major	Number of Grads
Engineering	61,791
Computer & Information Sciences	60,971
Biological & Biomedical Sciences	28,851
Mathematics & Statistics	15,127
Physical Sciences	12,705
Agriculture & Agriculture Operations	7,531
Architecture & Related Services	6,944
Natural Resources & Conservation	5,744
Communications Technologies & Support	585
Science Technologies / Technicians	79

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
• Image Credit: By KUKA Systems GmbH under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.