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Instrumentation Technology

Types of Degrees Instrumentation Technology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Instrumentation Technology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	835
Associate’s Degree	1,003
Bachelor’s Degree	33
Master’s Degree	768

What Instrumentation Technology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Instrumentation Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Instrumentation Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Troubleshooting — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Repairing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Instrumentation Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Control Precision — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• 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 3.9 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Instrumentation Technology graduates report doing:

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

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Instrumentation Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
MathWorks Simulink	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Linux	Operating system software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software	Industrial control software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Instrumentation Technology graduates include:

• Instrument Technician
• Hydrometer Calibrator
• Gyroscope Repairer
• Telescope Maintenance
• Weapons System Instrument Mechanic
• Scale Expert
• Apprentice Instrument Technician
• Repairing Calibrator
• Optical Instrument Repairer
• Instrument Technician Apprentice
• Telescope Repairer
• Laboratory Equipment Installer
• Scale Tester
• Scale Mechanic
• Taximeter Repairer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Instrumentation 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 Instrumentation Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 91.6% of Instrumentation Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	226	8.4%
Men	2,471	91.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,711	63.4%
Asian	22	0.8%
Hispanic or Latino	563	20.9%
Black or African American	215	8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	43	1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	54	2.0%
Race Unknown	64	2.4%
International Students	23	0.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Instrumentation Technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Instrumentation Technology 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	$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.}

Online Instrumentation Technology Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Instrumentation Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	1
Bachelor’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Instrumentation Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Instrumentation 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
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians, Other	1,873
Biomedical Technology/Technician	1,460
Automation Engineer Technology/Technician	1,364
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician	792
Robotics Technology/Technician	761
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	113

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.