Nanotech

Types of Degrees Nanotech Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many nanotechnology graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	53
Doctor’s Degree	28
Graduate Certificate	6

What Nanotech Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, nanotech 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 Nanotech Majors

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

• 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.
• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
• 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.

Skills for Nanotech Majors

A major in nanotech 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.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• 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.

Abilities for Nanotech Majors

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

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 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.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

What Can You Do With a Nanotech Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with nanotech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Microsystems Engineers	6.4%	$96,980
Nanosystems Engineers	6.4%	$96,980

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Nanotech?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 72% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	6
Black or African American	1
Hispanic or Latino	4
White	12
International Students	29
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Nanotech. About 54.7% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Nanotech

Some careers associated with nanotech require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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 nanotech careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.1%
Bachelor’s Degree	17.3%
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.	7.7%
Master’s Degree	35.5%
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.	4.8%
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.	2.4%
Doctoral Degree	25.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	4.8%

Online Nanotech Programs

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)	3	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	8	1
Bachelor’s Degree	6	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	11	1
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	5	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Nanotech

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

Major	Number of Grads
Industrial Production Technology	11,351
Electromechanical Engineering Technology	10,996
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology	9,134
Environmental Control Technology	8,781
Electronics Engineering Technology	8,331
Engineering-Related Fields	7,918
Mechanical Engineering Technology	5,841
Construction Engineering Technology	4,771
General Engineering Technology	4,002
Quality Control Technology	3,540
Computer Engineering Technology	3,432
Engineering Technology (Other)	2,458
Architectural Engineering Technology	1,261
Energy Systems Technologies	1,230
Civil Engineering Technology	1,199
Engineering-Related Technologies	1,144
Mining & Petroleum Technology	433
Nuclear Engineering Technology	261

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 Health Sciences and Nutrition, CSIRO under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.