ME Tech

Types of Degrees ME Tech Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many mechanical engineering technology graduations there were in 2021-2022 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	2,658
Associate Degree	1,773
Basic Certificate	1,148
Undergraduate Certificate	534

What ME Tech Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to me tech and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for ME Tech Majors

Me Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for ME Tech Majors

me tech majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for ME Tech Majors

As a me tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

What Can You Do With a ME Tech Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with me tech:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians	6.6%	$67,010
Automotive Engineering Technicians	5.0%	$56,250
Automotive Master Mechanics	6.1%	$40,710
Mechanical Engineering Technicians	5.0%	$56,250

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in ME Tech?

This is one of the most frequently chosen trade school majors. It is the 18th most popular in the country with 1,835 students graduating with an associate’s in me tech in 2021. This major attracts more men than women. About 89% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of me tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	57
Black or African American	141
Hispanic or Latino	297
White	1,109
International Students	29
Other Races/Ethnicities	140

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in ME Tech, too. About 1.6% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• Saudi Arabia
• India
• China
• South Korea
• Kuwait

How Much Do ME Tech Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $43,730 to $68,970 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to me tech. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to ME Tech

Some degrees associated with me tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for me tech careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	18.0%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	32.6%
Some College Courses	3.9%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	21.6%
Bachelor’s Degree	21.6%
Master’s Degree	3.5%

Online ME Tech Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	75	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	3	0
Associate’s Degree	237	5
Bachelor’s Degree	7	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	5	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in ME Tech Worth It?

The median salary for a me tech grad is $58,240 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 46% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $366,800 after 20 years!

Trades Related to ME Tech

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to me tech.

Major	Number of Grads
Industrial Production Technology	11,288
Electromechanical Engineering Technology	10,780
Environmental Control Technology	9,376
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology	8,822
Electronics Engineering Technology	8,347
Engineering-Related Fields	6,553
Construction Engineering Technology	4,299
General Engineering Technology	3,841
Quality Control Technology	3,720
Computer Engineering Technology	3,509
Engineering Technology (Other)	1,907
Energy Systems Technologies	1,277
Architectural Engineering Technology	1,239
Civil Engineering Technology	1,155
Engineering-Related Technologies	969
Mining & Petroleum Technology	410
Nuclear Engineering Technology	235
Nanotechnology	104

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.