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Instrument and electrical technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an instrument and electrical technician. Instrument and electrical technicians usually study electrical engineering technology, electrical engineering, or electromechanical instrumentation and maintenance technologies/technicians. 57% of instrument and electrical technicians hold a associate degree, and 19% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 2,136 real instrument and electrical technician resumes to see exactly what instrument and electrical technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for instrument and electrical technicians are the Brazosport College and the Brazosport College.
There are also many online instrument and electrical technician courses to help get the education required to be an instrument and electrical technician.
There are certain instrument and electrical technician certifications that you should consider. These instrument and electrical technician certifications include Instrumentation Certification and Industrial Instrumentation - Level I.
What education do you need to become an instrument and electrical technician?
What degree do you need to be an instrument and electrical technician?
- Associate, 56%
- Bachelor's, 19%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 9%
What should I major in to become an instrument and electrical technician?
- Music, 8%
- Other Majors, 31%
Most common colleges for instrument and electrical technicians
| Instrument and electrical technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Brazosport College | 9.84% |
| Texas College | 9.02% |
| Lamar University | 7.38% |
| Great Basin College | 6.56% |
| Idaho State University | 6.56% |
Best majors for instrument and electrical technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Engineering Technology | 28.1% |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering | 22.7% |
| 3 | Electromechanical Instrumentation And Maintenance Technologies/Technicians | 10.2% |
| 4 | Music | 8.0% |
| 5 | Industrial Technology | 5.4% |
Best colleges for instrument and electrical technicians
The best colleges for instrument and electrical technicians are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Northeastern University.
An instrument and electrical 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 instrument and electrical 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 instrument and electrical technicians.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$6,686
Enrollment
11,139
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
20 best online courses for instrument and electrical technicians
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1. PLC & AC Drive with Automatic & Manual Industrial Control
this course will take newbies to a higher level to deal with complex PLC projects, Motor Drives ( VFD ) & Manual Control...
2. Fundamentals of Electrical Instrumentation
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3. Complete Field Instrumentation Engineering Course
Flow, Level, Temperature and Pressure Instrument - Selection, Sizing, Calculation and Detail Engineering...
4. Variable Frequency Drive PowerFlex 525 VFD Programming Setup
Electrical Hardware Engineering & Variable Frequency Drive Programming PLC, HMI, Allen Bradley RSLogix 5000...
5. Control Systems Made Simple Beginner's Guide
Learn fundamentals of Mechanical & electrical system modeling, simulation and control with this unique practical course!...
6. Electrical Control & Protection Systems
This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...
7. Introduction to Instrumentation
This course was developed and based on my experiences (more than 12 years ) in Instrumentation ...
8. Introduction to PLC's [Programmable Logic Controllers]-07-21
This course is a great introduction to Programmable Logic Controllers Theory, Principles, and Programming Applications...
9. Fundamentals of Electrical Controls
Learn the parts and wiring techniques used in a motor control installation, become a Controls Electrician...
10. Electrical Schematics (Industrial Controls)
Learn to read, understand & design power & control circuits. Foundational course to learn electrical wiring drawings...
11. The Complete Electrical Power Control and Protection
Your Complete Practical Guide in Electrical Control & Protection Systems for Stations , Substations & Distribution Zones...
12. Introduction to process control and instrumentation
Learn how process control is ensured in process industries & how the main instruments measure the key process variables...
13. Electrical Control & Protection Part 4
This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical network...
14. Control Systems: From Mathematical Modelling to PID Control
Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...
15. Electrical Control & Protection Part 3
This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical network...
16. Applied Control Systems 3: UAV drone (3D Dynamics & control)
Modeling + state space systems + Model Predictive Control + feedback control + Python simulation: UAV quadcopter drone...
17. Electrical Control & Protection Systems part 2
This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...
18. Advanced Process Control & Safety Instrumented Systems SIS
Learn how the main process equipment such as chemical reactors , pumps , compressors & heat exchangers are controlled...
19. PID Controllers - Intro to Control Design
Learn to write your own control software while learning fundamental control theory...
20. Know Read Understand Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams P & IDs
Learn how Process Control, Safety Instrumented Systems, Interlock & Alarms are represented in engineering P & ID drawings...
Top 10 most affordable universities for instrument and electrical technicians
The most affordable schools for instrument and electrical technicians are California State University - Long Beach, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for instrument and electrical 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 instrument and electrical technicians.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
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. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
10. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for instrument and electrical technicians
The hardest universities for instrument and electrical technicians to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for instrument and electrical 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 instrument and electrical 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. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
8. Princeton University
Princeton, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,503
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for instrument and electrical technicians
The easiest schools for instrument and electrical technicians to get into are Kean University, notre dame de namur university, and capitol technology university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an instrument and electrical 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 instrument and electrical technicians.
1. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
4. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
5. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
6. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
7. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
8. Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,019
9. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
10. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
Average instrument and electrical technician salary by education level
| Instrument and electrical technician education level | Instrument and electrical technician salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $66,209 |
Instrument and electrical technician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025