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Instrument mechanic education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an instrument mechanic. Instrument mechanics usually study electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, or business. 52% of instrument mechanics hold a associate degree, and 23% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 385 real instrument mechanic resumes to see exactly what instrument mechanic education sections show.

The most common colleges for instrument mechanics are the DeVry University and the DeVry University.

There are also many online instrument mechanic courses to help get the education required to be an instrument mechanic.

There are certain instrument mechanic certifications that you should consider. These instrument mechanic certifications include Instrumentation Certification and Industrial Instrumentation - Level I.

What education do you need to become an instrument mechanic?

What degree do you need to be an instrument mechanic?

The most common degree for instrument mechanics is associate degree, with 52% of instrument mechanics earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 23% and bachelor's degree degree at 9%.
  • Associate, 52%
  • Bachelor's, 23%
  • High School Diploma, 9%
  • Diploma, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become an instrument mechanic?

You should major in electrical engineering to become an instrument mechanic. 34% of instrument mechanics major in electrical engineering. Other common majors for an instrument mechanic include electrical engineering technology and business.

Most common colleges for instrument mechanics

Instrument mechanics often get their degrees at DeVry University, University of Phoenix, and Murray State University. Here are the most common colleges for instrument mechanics in the US based on their resumes.
Instrument mechanic common collegePercentages
DeVry University11.11%
University of Phoenix7.41%
Murray State University7.41%
Olympic College7.41%
Henry Ford College7.41%

Best majors for instrument mechanics

Best colleges for instrument mechanics

The best colleges for instrument mechanics are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Northeastern University.

An instrument mechanic 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 mechanics. 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 mechanics.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

4. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

7. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

10. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

20 best online courses for instrument mechanics

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2. Control Systems Made Simple Beginner's Guide

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Learn fundamentals of Mechanical & electrical system modeling, simulation and control with this unique practical course!...

3. Advanced Process Control & Safety Instrumented Systems SIS

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Learn how the main process equipment such as chemical reactors , pumps , compressors & heat exchangers are controlled...

4. Introduction to process control and instrumentation

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Learn how process control is ensured in process industries & how the main instruments measure the key process variables...

5. Introduction to Instrumentation

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This course was developed and based on my experiences (more than 12 years ) in Instrumentation ...

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Learn the mathematics that will allow you to model and control any engineering system. Make machines do what you want!...

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18. Model a Car and Design a PID Controller in MATLAB/SIMULINK

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20. Fundamentals of Electrical Controls

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Top 10 most affordable universities for instrument mechanics

The most affordable schools for instrument mechanics are California State University - Long Beach, suny farmingdale, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for instrument mechanics 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 mechanics.

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

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 mechanics

The hardest universities for instrument mechanics to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for instrument mechanics 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 mechanics 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

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

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. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

9. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for instrument mechanics

The easiest schools for instrument mechanics to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, kean university, and mount saint mary's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an instrument mechanic 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 mechanics.

1. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

2. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

5. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

6. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

7. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

8. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

9. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

Average instrument mechanic salary by education level

According to our data, instrument mechanics with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $62,380 annually. Instrument mechanics with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $54,556.
Instrument mechanic education levelInstrument mechanic salary
High School Diploma or Less$52,914
Bachelor's Degree$62,380
Some College/ Associate Degree$54,556

Instrument mechanic 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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