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mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology

Types of Degrees mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	118
Associate’s Degree	258
Bachelor’s Degree	27
Master’s Degree	389

What mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology Majors Need to Know

Studies in mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering 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

The skill set emphasized by a mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering 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 mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering 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, mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering 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 mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Human machine interface HMI software	Industrial control software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
MathWorks Simulink	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software	Industrial control software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
C++	Object or component oriented development software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Underwater Roboticist
• Electromechanical Equipment Tester (EM Equipment Tester)
• Metrology Calibration Technician (Metrology Calibration Tech)
• Drone Technician
• Automation Test Specialist
• Electromechanical Assembly Technician (EM Assembly Technician)
• Unmanned Equipment Operator
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Technician (UAV Technician)
• Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech)
• Test Engineering Technician (Test Engineering Tech)
• Rework Specialist
• Mechanical Designer
• Hardware Rework Specialist
• Field Service Technician

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering 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 mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 90.7% of mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	74	9.3%
Men	718	90.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	491	62.0%
Asian	20	2.5%
Hispanic or Latino	82	10.4%
Black or African American	69	8.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	9	1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	44	5.6%
Race Unknown	72	9.1%
International Students	4	0.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering 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.}

Is a Degree in mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering technology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering 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
Biomedical Technology/Technician	1,460
Automation Engineer Technology/Technician	1,364
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.