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Semiconductor Manufacturing

Types of Degrees Semiconductor Manufacturing Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Semiconductor Manufacturing have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	13
Master’s Degree	3

What Semiconductor Manufacturing Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Semiconductor Manufacturing emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Production and Processing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Semiconductor Manufacturing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Semiconductor Manufacturing careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Semiconductor Manufacturing graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.1 / 7
Getting Information	4.0 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Working with Computers	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Semiconductor Manufacturing professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Camstar Systems Camstar Semiconductor Suite	Industrial control software	—
Eyelit Manufacturing	Industrial control software	—
yieldWerx	Analytical or scientific software	—
National Instruments TestStand	Development environment software	—
Eclipse IDE	Development environment software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Semiconductor Manufacturing graduates include:

• Small Group Processor
• Ion Implant Machine Operator
• Sanding Technician
• Semiconductor Assembler
• Wafer Mounter
• Semiconductor Processing Equipment Test Technician
• Crystal Lapper
• Electronic Component Processor
• Crystal Slicer
• Lapping Machine Tender
• Semiconductor Wafers Stripper
• Wafer Fabrication Operator
• Manufacturing Technician
• Device Processing Engineer
• Crystal Mounter

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	83.8%
Less than a high school diploma	11.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.3%
Postsecondary certificate	1.3%
Some college courses	0.5%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%
Bachelor’s degree	0.1%
Master’s degree	0.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Semiconductor Manufacturing?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 93.7% of Semiconductor Manufacturing degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1	6.2%
Men	15	93.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Semiconductor Manufacturing graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	12	75.0%
Asian	1	6.2%
Hispanic or Latino	1	6.2%
International Students	2	12.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Semiconductor Manufacturing Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Semiconductor Manufacturing 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	$59,570
4 years	$66,536
5 years	$74,003

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $74,003 — roughly 24% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Semiconductor Manufacturing Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Semiconductor Manufacturing graduates earn a median of $66,536 four years after completion — roughly 75% 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
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	11,391
Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician	6,829
Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician	4,498
Industrial Technology/Technician	3,881
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians	3,770
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Other	1,904
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
Welding Engineering Technology/Technician	609
Telecommunications Technology/Technician	282

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.