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Hydraulic technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a hydraulic technician. Hydraulic technicians usually study automotive technology, business, or aviation. 35% of hydraulic technicians hold a high school diploma, and 28% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,674 real hydraulic technician resumes to see exactly what hydraulic technician education sections show.

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

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

There are certain hydraulic technician certifications that you should consider. These hydraulic technician certifications include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

What education do you need to become a hydraulic technician?

What degree do you need to be a hydraulic technician?

The most common degree for hydraulic technicians is high school diploma, with 35% of hydraulic technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 28% and associate degree degree at 17%.
  • High School Diploma, 35%
  • Associate, 28%
  • Bachelor's, 17%
  • Diploma, 10%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a hydraulic technician?

You should major in automotive technology to become a hydraulic technician. 17% of hydraulic technicians major in automotive technology. Other common majors for a hydraulic technician include business and aviation.

Most common colleges for hydraulic technicians

Hydraulic technicians often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Spokane Community College, and University of Maryland - College Park. Here are the most common colleges for hydraulic technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Hydraulic technician common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix12.28%
Spokane Community College7.02%
University of Maryland - College Park7.02%
University of Houston5.26%
Florida State College at Jacksonville5.26%

Best majors for hydraulic technicians

Best colleges for hydraulic technicians

The best colleges for hydraulic technicians are Purdue University, Northwestern University, and Pennsylvania State University.

A hydraulic 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 hydraulic 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 hydraulic technicians.

1. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

2. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

3. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Enrollment

11,008

4. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

5. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Enrollment

11,139

6. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Enrollment

9,394

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

8. Middle Georgia State University

Macon, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,924

Enrollment

6,931

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. Worldwide Campus

Daytona Beach, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$9,360

Enrollment

10,254

20 best online courses for hydraulic technicians

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2. The Complete Hydraulic Course

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Oil hydraulics systems & fundamentals, hydraulic fluids, control valves, cylinders, circuits construction & analysis...

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This course will prepare you to work with hydraulic systems, plan maintenance and perform troubleshooting...

4. Hydraulic schematics and calculation exercises

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Hydraulic diagrams and hydraulic problems...

5. Aerospace Engineering: Aircraft Systems and Avionics

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Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering: Master the Systems of Airplanes - Hydraulics, Avionics, Electric, Propulsion...

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7. OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy and Lock Out / Tag Out

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OSHA required training under 29 CFR 1910 and 1926...

8. Electrical Power Equipment

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Learn how electrical equipments operate and how they fit together into a network...

9. Rotating Equipment Masterclass: Pumps & Compressors

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Introduction to flight training, Aircraft Structure, Systems and Flight Instruments...

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Top 10 most affordable universities for hydraulic technicians

The most affordable schools for hydraulic technicians are SUNY Farmingdale, brigham young university - idaho, and university of puerto rico - mayaguez.

If the best universities for hydraulic 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 hydraulic technicians.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

In-state tuition

$4,118

Cost of attendance

12,223

3. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

4. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,120

Cost of attendance

13,997

5. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

6. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Cost of attendance

17,885

7. Middle Georgia State University

Macon, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$3,924

Cost of attendance

14,919

8. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

10. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hydraulic technicians

The hardest universities for hydraulic technicians to get into are Purdue University, Northwestern University, and Pennsylvania State University.

Some great schools for hydraulic 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 hydraulic 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. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,309

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

Admissions rate

56%

SAT average

1,269

4. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

63%

SAT average

1,295

7. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

8. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,091

9. Wentworth Institute of Technology

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,183

10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,176

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

The easiest schools for hydraulic technicians to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, ferris state university, and texas a&m; university - corpus christi.

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

1. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

2. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

3. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,068

4. Middle Georgia State University

Macon, GA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

980

5. Brigham Young University - Idaho

Rexburg, ID • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,140

6. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

Admissions rate

46%

SAT average

1,091

7. Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,016

8. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

997

9. Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, CO • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,022

10. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

Average hydraulic technician salary by education level

According to our data, hydraulic technicians with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $47,380 annually. Hydraulic technicians with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $45,514.
Hydraulic technician education levelHydraulic technician salary
Master's Degree$47,380
High School Diploma or Less$42,906
Bachelor's Degree$44,860
Some College/ Associate Degree$45,514

Hydraulic 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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