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Other Computer Engineering

Types of Degrees Other Computer Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Other Computer Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1
Associate’s Degree	299
Bachelor’s Degree	110
Master’s Degree	82

What Other Computer Engineering Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Other Computer Engineering build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Other Computer Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Other Computer Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Physics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Other Computer Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Other Computer Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Other Computer Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	4.0 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Other Computer Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Enterprise resource planning ERP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Statistical analysis software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Presentation software	Presentation software	—
ZEMAX Optical Design Program	Computer aided design CAD software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Other Computer Engineering graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Laser Specialist
• Fiber Optics Splicer
• Fiber Splicer
• Mobile Laser Technician (Mobile Laser Tech)
• Laser Operator
• Thin Film Technician (Thin Film Tech)
• Medical Laser Technician (Medical Laser Tech)
• Fiber Optics Technician (Fiber Optics Tech)
• Fiber Optics Specialist
• Fiber Optics Assembler
• Optical Manufacturing Technician (Optical Manufacturing Tech)
• Healthcare Laser Technician (Healthcare Laser Tech)
• Removal Technician (Removal Tech)
• Mobile Technician (Mobile Tech)

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	47.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	25.4%
Bachelor’s degree	9.2%
Postsecondary certificate	6.9%
Some college courses	6.8%
Master’s degree	2.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Other Computer Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 79.7% of Other Computer Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	100	20.3%
Men	392	79.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Other Computer Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	216	43.9%
Asian	18	3.7%
Hispanic or Latino	99	20.1%
Black or African American	107	21.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.6%
Two or More Races	27	5.5%
Race Unknown	19	3.9%
International Students	3	0.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Other Computer Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Other Computer Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,769
4 years	$47,945
5 years	$55,101

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $55,101 — roughly 63% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Other Computer Engineering Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Other Computer Engineering graduates earn a median of $47,945 four years after completion — roughly 26% 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	Annual Degrees Awarded
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	3,275
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians	1,557
Biomedical Technology/Technician	1,460
Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician	1,272
Computer Engineering Technology/Technician	1,215
Energy Systems Technology/Technician	815
Computer Software Technology/Technician	278
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other	125
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	113
Composite Materials Technology/Technician	108
Audio Engineering Technology/Technician	76
Chemical Engineering Technology/Technician	63

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.