Starting your career with an associate degree in electronics technology

While starting a new career often requires some post-secondary education or job training, there are some careers that require slightly less training and yet still pay well. If you're good with math and science, have good communication skills and are fascinated by the way things work, you might want to consider earning an online associate degree in electronics technology. An electronics technology degree can lead to a variety of careers, including the ones below.

Jobs for electronics technology degree-holders

Electrical and electronic engineering technicians work with electrical engineers to design, test, and manufacture various equipment for different purposes, including communications, medicine, and computing. Electronic engineering technicians work in testing, evaluating, adjusting, and repairing various electrical equipment. Because the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the employment of electrical engineering technicians is expected to actually decline by 2 percent between 2008 and 2018, getting the right training for this career can give you a competitive edge. Electrical and electronic engineering technicians earned a mean annual salary of $55,410 in 2009, BLS data shows.

Electrical and electronics installers or repairers work either as a field technicians, traveling to different locations to maintain and repair equipment, or as bench technicians, working from a shop. The following are three of the specialties in this field, each with their own mean salaries and job outlooks:

• Electric motor, power tool and related repairers work with electric motors, switches and wiring for anything from golf carts to electric drills. Their yearly salary is $38,280, and employment is expected to grow by 5 percent between 2008 and 2018.
• Transportation equipment installers and repairers maintain, repair and install communication equipment, including navigation, security, sonar and surveillance equipment. They earn an mean salary of $46,550, and the field is expected to grow by 4 percent between 2008 and 2018.
• Powerhouse, substation and relay repairers work with electrical equipment in power stations and substations. They earned an mean salary of $61,700 in 2009, and the field is expected to grow by 12 percent between 2008 and 2018.

While certification is not always necessary for those with electronics technology degrees, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recommends that electrical and electronics installers and repairers get certification to increase their job marketability. There are a variety of certification specialties and levels available from organizations such as the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians and the Electronics Technicians Association (ETA).

Education details: getting an associate degree in electronics technology

If you're already working full-time and can't afford to take time off to return to school, it's worth considering an online associate degree in electronics technology. An online degree allows you to complete coursework at your own pace from any location with an Internet connection. While it requires self-discipline, an online associate degree in electronics technology can offer flexibility. Typical electronics technology coursework includes classes such as the following:

• Electrical circuits
• Electronic security systems
• Computer systems
• Electronic testing
• Digital electronics

To help pay for your education, make sure to fill out a Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and look into scholarships offered by your institution.

If you're interested in working with electronics and graduating in less than four years, an online associate degree in electronics technology could be for you.

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