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Data Processing

Types of Degrees Data Processing Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Data Processing may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	98
Associate’s Degree	769
Bachelor’s Degree	129
Master’s Degree	1,044
Doctor’s Degree	18

What Data Processing Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Data Processing build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Data Processing graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Data Processing emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Data Processing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Data Processing careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Data Processing graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.8 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Data Processing professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Linux	Operating system software	✓
Amazon Web Services AWS software	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Microsoft Azure software	Development environment software	✓
JavaScript	Web platform development software	✓
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Perl	Object or component oriented development software	—
UNIX	Operating system software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Data Processing graduates include:

• Systems Engineer
• Security Engineer
• IT Architect (Information Technology Architect)
• Network Engineer
• Cloud Engineer
• Engineer
• Firmware Engineer
• Web Site Project Manager
• Security Analyst
• Security Architect
• Network Security Engineer
• Security Data Scientist
• Application Security Engineer
• IS Security Engineer (Information Systems Security Engineer)
• Identity and Access Management Manager (IAM Manager)

What Can You Do With a Data Processing Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Data Processing commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Information Security Engineers	-3.8%	$142,543	$114,274–$170,812
Computer Systems Engineers/Architects	-1.9%	$140,795	$117,994–$163,597
Information Technology Project Managers	-3.4%	$124,655	$97,293–$152,018
Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians	-1.9%	$82,846	$64,703–$100,988
Blockchain Engineers	5.1%	$123,667	$106,885–$140,449
Web Administrators	0.7%	$62,692	$53,026–$72,358
Computer Occupations, All Other	0.3%	$159,837	$123,930–$195,745
Digital Forensics Analysts	-3.9%	$119,226	$92,537–$145,915
Document Management Specialists	-0.6%	$147,490	$115,907–$179,073
Penetration Testers	6.6%	$93,800	$79,805–$107,795

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Data Processing graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	42.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	18.0%
Postsecondary certificate	15.9%
Some college courses	6.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	5.4%
Master’s degree	5.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.8%
Post-master’s certificate	2.2%
Less than a high school diploma	1.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Data Processing?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 65.9% of Data Processing degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	727	34.1%
Men	1,404	65.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Data Processing graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	788	37.0%
Asian	139	6.5%
Hispanic or Latino	364	17.1%
Black or African American	389	18.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	10	0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	74	3.5%
Race Unknown	74	3.5%
International Students	291	13.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Data Processing Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Data Processing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,756
4 years	$41,578
5 years	$46,682

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $46,682 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Data Processing Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Data Processing. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	16	5
Bachelor’s	2	2
Master’s	1	2
Doctoral (Research)	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Data Processing Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Data Processing graduates earn a median of $41,578 four years after completion — roughly 9% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Computer and Information Sciences, General	118,381
Computer Science	79,857
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management	57,935
Information Science/Studies	22,425
Computer Software and Media Applications	15,581
Computer Programming	15,336
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications	15,034
Computer Systems Analysis	3,034
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other	2,066
Data Entry/Microcomputer Applications	436
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.