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Equipment technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an equipment technician. Equipment technicians usually study electrical engineering, business, or electrical engineering technology. 39% of equipment technicians hold a associate degree, and 29% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 9,070 real equipment technician resumes to see exactly what equipment technician education sections show.

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

There are also many online equipment technician courses to help get the education required to be an equipment technician.

There are certain equipment technician certifications that you should consider. These equipment technician certifications include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma).

What education do you need to become an equipment technician?

What degree do you need to be an equipment technician?

The most common degree for equipment technicians is associate degree, with 39% of equipment technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 29% and bachelor's degree degree at 20%.
  • Associate, 39%
  • Bachelor's, 29%
  • High School Diploma, 20%
  • Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become an equipment technician?

You should major in electrical engineering to become an equipment technician. 24% of equipment technicians major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for an equipment technician include business and electrical engineering technology.

Most common colleges for equipment technicians

Equipment technicians often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, DeVry University, and Central State University. Here are the most common colleges for equipment technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Equipment technician common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix16.14%
DeVry University15.19%
Central State University6.01%
University of New Mexico5.06%
ECPI University4.75%

Best majors for equipment technicians

Best colleges for equipment technicians

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

An equipment 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 equipment 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 equipment technicians.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

6. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Enrollment

2,120

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

10. Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,646

Enrollment

5,736

20 best online courses for equipment technicians

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19. Functional Safety for Safety Instrumented Systems

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Top 10 most affordable universities for equipment technicians

The most affordable schools for equipment technicians are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for equipment 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 equipment technicians.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. 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

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for equipment technicians

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

Some great schools for equipment 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 equipment 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for equipment technicians

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

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an equipment 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 equipment technicians.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

3. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

7. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

8. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)

Lemont Furnace, PA • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,067

Average equipment technician salary by education level

According to our data, equipment technicians with a Associate degree earn the highest average salary, at $45,006 annually. Equipment technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $42,435.
Equipment technician education levelEquipment technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$41,339
Bachelor's Degree$42,435
Some College/ Associate Degree$45,006

Equipment technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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