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Engineering-Related Technologies

Types of Degrees Engineering-Related Technologies Majors Are Earning

Those studying Engineering-Related Technologies have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	162
Associate’s Degree	372
Bachelor’s Degree	242
Master’s Degree	440
Doctor’s Degree	4

What Engineering-Related Technologies Majors Need to Know

Studies in Engineering-Related Technologies emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Engineering-Related Technologies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Engineering-Related Technologies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Engineering-Related Technologies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Engineering-Related Technologies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Engineering-Related Technologies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7
Processing Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Engineering-Related Technologies professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Engineering-Related Technologies graduates include:

• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Engineering Aide
• Laser Specialist
• Topographical Surveyor
• Field Surveyor
• Land Measurer
• Licensed Land Surveyor
• Geophysical Prospecting Surveyor
• Land Surveyor
• Surveyor
• Computer-Aided Design Designer
• Laser Technician
• Proof Technician
• Engineering Analyst
• Mechanical Repair Technician (Mechanical Repair Tech)

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	29.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	22.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	19.6%
Postsecondary certificate	14.1%
Some college courses	9.9%
Master’s degree	2.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.0%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Engineering-Related Technologies?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 89.7% of Engineering-Related Technologies degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	128	10.3%
Men	1,109	89.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	886	71.6%
Asian	18	1.5%
Hispanic or Latino	177	14.3%
Black or African American	54	4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	11	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	41	3.3%
Race Unknown	39	3.2%
International Students	10	0.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Engineering-Related Technologies Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Engineering-Related Technologies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$61,962
4 years	$60,220
5 years	$64,342

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $64,342 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Engineering-Related Technologies Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Engineering-Related Technologies. 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	4	1
Bachelor’s	4	3

^{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 Engineering-Related Technologies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Engineering-Related Technologies graduates earn a median of $60,220 four years after completion — roughly 58% 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
Engineering Technologies	91,975
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians	11,920
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	11,391
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	10,798
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,702
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	9,196
Engineering-Related Fields	8,633
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	5,996
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	5,089
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians	3,938
ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS	3,883
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians	3,275

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.