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Integrated Circuit Design

Types of Degrees Integrated Circuit Design Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Integrated Circuit Design can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	5
Master’s Degree	5

What Integrated Circuit Design Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Integrated Circuit Design emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Integrated Circuit Design program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Integrated Circuit Design careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Integrated Circuit Design graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.8 / 7
Processing Information	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Integrated Circuit Design professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Python	Object or component oriented development software	—
Programmable logic controller PLC software	Industrial control software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Mentor Graphics PADS	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C	Development environment software	—
Magellan Firmware	Operating system software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Autodesk Revit	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 Integrated Circuit Design graduates include:

• Electrical Design Technician
• Circuit Designer
• Layout Designer
• Instrumentation Technician
• Field Technical Specialist
• Automation Maintenance Technician
• I and C Technician (Instrument and Controls Technician)
• Electrical Mechanical Technician
• Computer Engineering Technician
• Analog Circuit Designer
• Technician
• Electronics Engineering Technician
• Utilities Instrument Technician
• Product and Device Technologist
• Instrument Technician

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Integrated Circuit Design graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	40.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	23.6%
Postsecondary certificate	21.1%
Some college courses	6.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	6.1%
Master’s degree	2.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Integrated Circuit Design?

Gender Distribution

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Integrated Circuit Design graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	4	40.0%
Asian	3	30.0%
Hispanic or Latino	3	30.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Integrated Circuit Design Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Integrated Circuit Design 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	$62,062
4 years	$60,768
5 years	$67,536

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $67,536 — roughly 9% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Integrated Circuit Design Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Integrated Circuit Design graduates earn a median of $60,768 four years after completion — roughly 60% 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
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,196
Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician	6,829
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General	4,395
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians	3,770
Electromechanical/Electromechanical Engineering Technology/Technician	2,973
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician	2,476
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other	1,750
Automation Engineer Technology/Technician	1,364
Computer/Computer Systems Technology/Technician	1,272
Computer Engineering Technology/Technician	1,215
Telecommunications Technology/Technician	282
Laser and Optical Technology/Technician	249

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.