Physical Science Technologies/Technicians: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 41.03. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 146 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 66 | 1,749 | $57,582 | $68,527 | $7,096 4 programs |
| Associate's degree | 74 | 1,133 | $61,888 | $80,768 | $13,009 7 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 1 | 1 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 4 | 39 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Del Mar College TX · Public · 28 graduates measured | $77,027 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Eastern Florida State College FL · Public · 17 graduates measured | $73,382 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota FL · Public · 19 graduates measured | $69,508 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Washington County Career Center-Adult Technical Training OH · Public · 29 graduates measured | $53,457 | $56,443 | Data unavailable |
| Alvin Community College TX · Public · 38 graduates measured | $50,230 | $75,005 | $5,937 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas State Technical College TX · Public · 17 graduates measured | $89,617 | $76,027 | Data unavailable |
| Lone Star College System TX · Public · 37 graduates measured | $87,158 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Lamar State College-Orange TX · Public · 27 graduates measured | $78,259 | $92,294 | Data unavailable |
| Del Mar College TX · Public · 96 graduates measured | $76,424 | $98,153 | $9,250 |
| College of the Mainland TX · Public · 87 graduates measured | $70,572 | $101,553 | $7,599 |
| Lee College TX · Public · 47 graduates measured | $69,014 | $126,148 | $15,311 |
| BridgeValley Community & Technical College WV · Public · 16 graduates measured | $65,534 | $69,606 | Data unavailable |
| San Jacinto Community College TX · Public · 74 graduates measured | $63,523 | $111,662 | Data unavailable |
| Kilgore College TX · Public · 33 graduates measured | $61,456 | $99,017 | Data unavailable |
| Ashland Community and Technical College KY · Public · 28 graduates measured | $60,917 | $103,607 | Data unavailable |
| Houston City College TX · Public · 58 graduates measured | $57,667 | $74,124 | $23,471 |
| Lamar Institute of Technology TX · Public · 100 graduates measured | $56,428 | $90,820 | $14,141 |
| Wharton County Junior College TX · Public · 32 graduates measured | $53,543 | $88,882 | Data unavailable |
| Alvin Community College TX · Public · 39 graduates measured | $49,678 | $71,777 | $5,718 |
| Lamar State College-Port Arthur TX · Public · 28 graduates measured | $48,914 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Physical Science Technologies/Technicians
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical technicians | $60,390 | +4.9% | Associate's degree |
| Environmental science and protection technicians, including health | $55,090 | +6.9% | Associate's degree |
| Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians | $53,350 | +3.6% | Associate's degree |
| Hydrologic technicians | $64,790 | -1.3% | Associate's degree |
| Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other | $62,280 | +4.4% | Associate's degree |
| Chemical plant and system operators | $78,120 | -5.2% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Chemical equipment operators and tenders | $58,040 | +3.6% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (3)
- 41.0301 Chemical Technology/Technician
- 41.0303 Chemical Process Technology
- 41.0399 Physical Science Technologies/Technicians, Other