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Engineering Technology

Students study the practical application of engineering principles, focusing on hands-on implementation, testing, and management of technical systems rather than theoretical design. Graduates typically pursue careers as engineering technologists, technical managers, quality engineers, and field service engineers in manufacturing and construction. Engineering technology programs offer more applied training compared to traditional engineering degrees.

Schools
34
Programs analyzed
Earnings
$58,811
Avg 1-yr grad earnings
Range $40,864–$85,830
AI Risk
High
43% task exposure
Field Overview

What Engineering Technology graduates do

Your degree is a passport to the world where engineering designs become physical reality. As an electrical engineering technologist, you won't just theorize about circuits; you'll be in the lab building prototypes, running diagnostics on automated factory lines, and troubleshooting complex control systems. In an industrial role, you’re the efficiency expert on the ground, timing production cycles, analyzing workflows, and rearranging equipment to make manufacturing faster and safer. As a civil engineering technologist, you work on-site, surveying land, testing concrete strength, and inspecting bridges to ensure they match the blueprints.

You’ll typically start with hands-on tasks under an engineer’s supervision, and with experience, you can lead more complex projects or manage teams. While most of these fields offer stable career paths, aerospace technology stands out with significantly faster job growth.

With moderate AI exposure, expect your job to evolve. AI will increasingly handle routine data analysis and initial diagnostics, freeing you to focus on what it can't do: complex hands-on troubleshooting, calibrating unique equipment, and adapting designs in the real world. Your value will lie in bridging the gap between digital models and tangible results.

Students weighing Engineering Technology often also consider Architectural Engineering Technology, Industrial Production Technology, and Electromechanical Technology — compare earnings, ROI, and AI outlook side by side.

Career Trajectories

Where Engineering Technology graduates work

Common career paths for Engineering Technology graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 28,100 combined openings per year across these roles.

Role Median Pay Annual Openings 10-yr Growth AI Exposure
Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
$79,830
$65K–$102K
900 +8.1% Moderate · 32%
Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
$77,390
$60K–$98K
5,700 +1.5% Low · 24%
Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
$77,180
$61K–$95K
8,400 +0.6% Moderate · 41%
Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
$70,760
$59K–$87K
1,300 +1.1% Moderate · 42%
Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
$64,790
$53K–$79K
6,300 +1.7% Moderate · 39%
Civil engineering technologists and technicians
$64,200
$52K–$80K
5,500 +2.1% High · 59%
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Top Institutions

Best schools for Engineering Technology

Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 34.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 68
Miami University-Hamilton
Hamilton, OH · Public
$69,483 1-yr earnings
29.7x ROI multiple
High AI risk
# School DW Score 1-yr Earnings ROI
5 University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO · Public
65 $61,424 20.7x
6 New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM · Public
65 $60,250 25.0x
7 Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond, LA · Public
65 $54,464 26.3x
8 Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS · Public
64 $61,696 18.6x
9 University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI · Public
63 $67,461 17.6x
10 Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL · Public
63 $62,117 15.8x
11 University of Memphis
Memphis, TN · Public
63 $61,465 18.1x
12 Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC · Public
63 $59,813 35.8x
13 Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN · Public
63 $59,622 18.4x
14 Miami University-Oxford
Oxford, OH · Public
61 $69,483 11.6x
15 Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN · Public
61 $60,808 17.3x
16 East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN · Public
61 $56,551 17.6x
17 Morehead State University
Morehead, KY · Public
60 $51,021 18.2x
18 New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ · Public
59 $64,831 10.6x
19 Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL · Public
59 $64,762 11.9x
20 Southern Utah University
Cedar City, UT · Public
59 $43,320 29.1x
Find the top Engineering Technology schools — ranked by actual earnings data from 34 programs →

Related majors

Similar fields of study often offered alongside Engineering Technology.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Engineering Technology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Engineering Technology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Engineering Technology

How much do Engineering Technology graduates earn?

The median first-year salary across 34 Engineering Technology programs is $58,811. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($40,864) and highest ($85,830) earning programs is significant.

Will AI affect Engineering Technology careers?

Our analysis classifies Engineering Technology as "High" for AI risk — approximately 43% of typical job tasks overlap with current AI capabilities. That puts some of the daily work in the automation-sensitive category.

What's the top-ranked school for Engineering Technology?

Miami University-Hamilton leads all 34 programs with a DegreeOutlook Score of 68/100. Graduates earn $69,483/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.

What's the ROI on a Engineering Technology degree?

The average 10-year earnings multiple is 17.9x tuition. This is a strong return on investment. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.