Computer Installation/Repair

Types of Degrees Computer Installation/Repair Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer installation and repair technology/technician graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	1,544
Undergraduate Certificate	514
Associate Degree	223
Bachelor’s Degree	35

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

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• 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

computer installation and repair technology/technician majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• 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

A major in computer installation and repair technology/technician will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• 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 attracts more men than women. About 91% of the graduates in this field are male.

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	25
Black or African American	19
Hispanic or Latino	95
White	60
International Students	15
Other Races/Ethnicities	9

Geographic Diversity

Computer Installation and Repair Technology/Technician appeals to people across the globe. About 6.7% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Computer Installation/Repair Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Computer Installation and Repair Technology/Technician majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $40,880 to $59,210 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

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.

Find out what the typical degree level is for computer installation and repair technology/technician careers below.

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

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 150 schools offered some type of computer installation and repair technology/technician program. 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)	54	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	38	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	2,269
General Electrical/Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair	2,127
Other Electrical/Electronics Maintenance & Repair Technology	806
Communications Systems Installation & Repair Technology	136
Appliance Installation & Repair Technology/Technician	66
Security System Installation, Repair, & Inspection Technology/Technician	50
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.