Types of Degrees Nanotechnology Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many nanotechnology graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
|Education Level||Number of Grads|
What Nanotechnology Majors Need to Know
In an O*NET survey, nanotech majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.
Knowledge Areas for Nanotech Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in nanotech should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:
- 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.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Skills for Nanotech Majors
A major in nanotech prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Abilities for Nanotech Majors
Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a nanotech student include the following:
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
What Can You Do With a Nanotechnology Major?
People with a nanotech degree often go into the following careers:
|Job Title||Job Growth Rate||Median Salary|
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Nanotechnology?
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of nanotech majors is as follows:
|Race/Ethnicity||Number of Grads|
|Black or African American||2|
|Hispanic or Latino||4|
Nanotech appeals to people across the globe. About 49.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- Saudi Arabia
How Much Do Nanotechnology Majors Make?
Salaries According to BLS
Nanotech majors often go into careers with median salaries of $99,410. This median refers to 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 Nanotechnology
Some degrees associated with nanotech 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 nanotech careers below.
|Education Level||Percentage of Workers|
|Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)||0.1%|
|Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.||7.7%|
|Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.||4.8%|
|First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.||2.4%|
Online Nanotechnology Programs
In 2018-2019, 38 schools offered a nanotech program of some type. 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)||6||0|
|Certificate (1-2 years)||4||0|
|Certificate (2-4 Years)||1||0|
|Doctor’s Degree (Research)||3||0|
|Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)||0||0|
|Doctor’s Degree (Other)||0||0|
Is a Degree in Nanotechnology Worth It?
The median salary for a nanotech grad is $99,410 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 149% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,190,200 after 20 years!
Majors Related to Nanotechnology
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to nanotech.
|Major||Number of Grads|
|Industrial Production Technology||14,313|
|Drafting & Design Engineering Technology||10,756|
|Electromechanical Engineering Technology||10,702|
|Environmental Control Technology||10,042|
|Electronics Engineering Technology||9,875|
|Mechanical Engineering Technology||7,772|
|Quality Control Technology||4,315|
|General Engineering Technology||4,212|
|Computer Engineering Technology||4,180|
|Construction Engineering Technology||3,824|
|Engineering Technology (Other)||1,786|
|Architectural Engineering Technology||1,362|
|Nuclear Engineering Technology||388|
- 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
- Image Credit: By Health Sciences and Nutrition, CSIRO under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.