Data systems technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a data systems technician. Data systems technicians usually study electrical engineering, business, or computer science. 45% of data systems technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 704 real data systems technician resumes to see exactly what data systems technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for data systems technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online data systems technician courses to help get the education required to be a data systems technician.

What education do you need to become a data systems technician?

What degree do you need to be a data systems technician?

The most common degree for data systems technicians is bachelor's degree, with 45% of data systems technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 33% and associate degree degree at 16%.

Bachelor's, 45%

Associate, 33%

High School Diploma, 16%

Master's, 4%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a data systems technician?

You should major in electrical engineering to become a data systems technician. 16% of data systems technicians major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for a data systems technician include business and computer science.

Electrical Engineering, 16%

Business, 15%

Computer Science, 14%

Information Technology, 10%

Other Majors, 45%

Most common colleges for data systems technicians

Data systems technicians often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, DeVry University, and Excelsior College. Here are the most common colleges for data systems technicians in the US based on their resumes.

Data systems technician common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	17.24%
DeVry University	8.62%
Excelsior College	6.90%
Saint Leo University	6.90%
Park University	5.17%

Show more common data systems technician colleges

Best majors for data systems technicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Electrical Engineering	16.5%
2	Business	14.6%
3	Computer Science	13.9%
4	Information Technology	9.7%
5	Electrical Engineering Technology	8.2%

Show more common data systems technician majors

Best colleges for data systems technicians

The best colleges for data systems technicians are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A data systems technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for data systems technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become data systems technicians.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

20 best online courses for data systems technicians

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Learn the basics of system administration for the Windows 10 operating system, as well as some basic computer skills...

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16. Practical Aspects of Information System Audit (For Beginner)

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17. Introduction to Business Support System - BSS

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18. Learn to Repair & Troubleshoot Electronics

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19. Certified Information Systems Security Officer (CISSO)

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20. Data Center Essentials: Power & Electrical

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Top 10 most affordable universities for data systems technicians

The most affordable schools for data systems technicians are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for data systems technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for data systems technicians.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

5. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for data systems technicians

The hardest universities for data systems technicians to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for data systems technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for data systems technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

10. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for data systems technicians

The easiest schools for data systems technicians to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and oregon institute of technology.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a data systems technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for data systems technicians.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

4. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

5. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

8. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,072

9. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

10. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

Average data systems technician salary by education level

Data systems technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $77,526 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, data systems technicians earn a median annual income of $74,444 compared to $66,480 for data systems technicians with an Associate degree.

Data systems technician education level	Data systems technician salary
Master's Degree	$77,526
High School Diploma or Less	$65,513
Bachelor's Degree	$74,444
Some College/ Associate Degree	$66,480

Data systems technician education FAQs

What is the best college for Data Systems Technicians?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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