Environmental Control Technology

Types of Degrees Environmental Control Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many environmental control technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	89

What Environmental Control Technology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, environmental control 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 Environmental Control Tech Majors

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

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• 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.
• 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.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Skills for Environmental Control Tech Majors

A major in environmental control tech prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• 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.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Abilities for Environmental Control Tech Majors

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

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

What Can You Do With a Environmental Control Technology Major?

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

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Commercial and Industrial Designers	4.3%	$66,590
Electrical Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Electromechanical Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Electronics Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Environmental Engineering Technicians	12.4%	$50,560
Fuel Cell Technicians	5.2%	$63,200
Manufacturing Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200
Mechanical Engineering Technologists	5.2%	$63,200

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Environmental Control Technology?

According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 46% of the graduates are women, and 54% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	6
Black or African American	11
Hispanic or Latino	5
White	43
International Students	21
Other Races/Ethnicities	3

Geographic Diversity

Environmental Control Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 23.6% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• India
• Saudi Arabia
• China
• Nigeria
• Nepal

How Much Do Environmental Control Technology Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that environmental control technology students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree made a median starting salary of $96,534 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $79,026 (25th percentile) and $108,987 (75th percentile).

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

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $47,050 to $65,720 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to environmental control 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 Environmental Control Technology

Some degrees associated with environmental control 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.

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

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	4.4%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	13.8%
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)	23.7%
Some College Courses	8.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	20.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	27.0%
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.	0.5%
Master’s Degree	1.5%
Post-Doctoral Training	0.3%

Online Environmental Control Technology Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 348 schools offered some type of environmental control technology 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)	193	4
Certificate (2-4 Years)	6	0
Associate’s Degree	206	6
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	8	2
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 Environmental Control Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a environmental control tech grad is $50,160 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 26% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $205,200 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Environmental Control Technology

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

Major	Number of Grads
Engineering-Related Fields	4,838
Quality Control Technology	736
Industrial Production Technology	440
Engineering Technology (Other)	288
Construction Engineering Technology	264
General Engineering Technology	255
Computer Engineering Technology	179
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology	145
Mechanical Engineering Technology	104
Nanotechnology	98
Energy Systems Technologies	95
Electromechanical Engineering Technology	43
Architectural Engineering Technology	39
Electronics Engineering Technology	39
Engineering-Related Technologies	15
Nuclear Engineering Technology	0

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.