Computer Installation/Repair

Types of Degrees Computer Installation/Repair Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer installation & repair technology/technician graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	1,623
Undergraduate Certificate	505
Associate Degree	169
Bachelor’s Degree	31

What Computer Installation/Repair Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to computer installation and repair technology/technician 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 Computer Installation and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in computer installation and repair technology/technician should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• 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.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills for Computer Installation and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to computer installation and repair technology/technician:

• Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
• Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Computer Installation and Repair Technology/Technician Majors

As a computer installation and repair technology/technician 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).
• 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.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

What Can You Do With a Computer Installation/Repair Major?

People with a computer installation and repair technology/technician degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment	2.3%	$58,110

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Computer Installation/Repair?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 88% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of computer installation and repair technology/technician majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	20
Black or African American	11
Hispanic or Latino	91
White	39
International Students	4
Other Races/Ethnicities	4

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Computer Installation and Repair Technology/Technician. About 2.4% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Computer Installation/Repair Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $40,880 to $59,210 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to computer installation and repair technology/technician. 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 Computer Installation/Repair

Some degrees associated with computer installation and repair technology/technician may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to computer installation and repair technology/technician have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	0.2%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	10.7%
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)	40.6%
Some College Courses	7.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	41.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	0.1%

Online Computer Installation/Repair 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)	50	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	39	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
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 Computer Installation/Repair Worth It?

The median salary for a computer installation and repair technology/technician grad is $40,880 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 2% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $19,600 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Computer Installation/Repair

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to computer installation and repair technology/technician.

Major	Number of Grads
Industrial Electronics Technology/Technician	2,557
General Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair	2,262
Other Electrical/Electronics Maintenance & Repair Technology	741
Communications Systems Installation & Repair Technology	117
Appliance Installation & Repair Technology/Technician	80
Security System Installation, Repair, & Inspection Technology/Technician	42
Business Machine Repair	0

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.