Nanotechnology

Types of Degrees Nanotechnology Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	68
Doctor’s Degree	23
Graduate Certificate	7

What Nanotechnology Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to nanotech and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being 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

When studying nanotech, 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.
• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Nanotech Majors

Nanotech majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• 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.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Nanotechnology 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 Nanotechnology?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 76% 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	7
Black or African American	3
Hispanic or Latino	6
White	15
International Students	36
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

Geographic Diversity

Nanotech appeals to people across the globe. About 52.9% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• India
• Bangladesh
• Iran
• Saudi Arabia

How Much Do Nanotechnology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Nanotech majors often go into careers with median salaries of $99,410. This median refers to 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 Nanotechnology

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.

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

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 Nanotechnology Programs

In 2020-2021, 39 schools offered a nanotech 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)	4	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	1	0
Associate’s Degree	12	1
Bachelor’s Degree	4	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	10	0
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	4	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Nanotechnology Worth It?

The median salary for a nanotech grad is $99,410 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 149% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,190,200 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Nanotechnology

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

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
Energy Systems Technologies	95
Environmental Control Technology	89
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
• Image Credit: By Health Sciences and Nutrition, CSIRO under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.