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Automation Engineer Technology

Types of Degrees Automation Engineer Technology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Automation Engineer Technology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	319
Associate’s Degree	499
Bachelor’s Degree	208
Master’s Degree	308

What Automation Engineer Technology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Automation Engineer Technology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Automation Engineer Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Automation Engineer Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Automation Engineer Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Repairing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Automation Engineer Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Automation Engineer Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Getting Information	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Automation Engineer Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Linux	Operating system software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	—
C++	Object or component oriented development software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
MathWorks Simulink	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software	Industrial control software	—
Programmable logic controller PLC software	Industrial control software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Automation Engineer Technology graduates include:

• Field Service Technician
• Calibration Technician
• Certified Control Systems Technician
• Instrumentation Technician
• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Automation Technician (Automation Tech)
• Commercial Drone Operator
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot (UAS Pilot)
• Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech)
• Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot (RPA Pilot)
• Instrument and Controls Technician (Instrument and Controls Tech)
• Electromechanical Engineering Technologist (EM Engineering Technologist)
• Unmanned Aerial Systems Pilot (UAS Pilot)
• Remotely Piloted Vehicle Engineering Technician (RPV Engineering Technician)
• Unmanned Equipment Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Automation Engineer Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	31.3%
Postsecondary certificate	30.9%
Bachelor’s degree	11.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	9.8%
Some college courses	6.6%
Master’s degree	5.1%
Doctoral degree	3.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Automation Engineer Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 91.5% of Automation Engineer Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	116	8.5%
Men	1,248	91.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Automation Engineer Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	868	63.6%
Asian	46	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino	199	14.6%
Black or African American	108	7.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	16	1.2%
Two or More Races	52	3.8%
Race Unknown	60	4.4%
International Students	15	1.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Automation Engineer Technology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Automation Engineer Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$55,527
4 years	$62,211
5 years	$69,356

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,356 — roughly 25% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Automation Engineer Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Automation Engineer Technology graduates earn a median of $62,211 four years after completion — roughly 64% 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
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	11,920
Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician	6,829
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians	3,770
Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	3,162
Electromechanical/Electromechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	2,973
Instrumentation Technology/Technician	2,697
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians, Other	1,873
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other	1,750
Biomedical Technology/Technician	1,460
Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician	1,272
Computer Engineering Technology/Technician	1,215
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician	792

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.