Career guide

A rewarding future is in your hands!

At Wake Tech, we’re “hands-on”! With small classes, individualized attention, and faculty dedicated to your success, we can help you find the career pathway you’ve always wanted. Take a look at all the options that await you, and get started today! We’re here to help!

For more information call 919-866-5500

Credentials Key:

AAS = Associate in Applied Science

D = Diploma

C = Certificate

 

Wake Tech Community College A-Z

Area of Study

Credentials
Offered

Prepares you for:

Entry- to mid-level salary range*

Associate degrees for college transfer

Transfer to a senior institution: Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Engineering (AE), Associate in Fine Arts – Art (AFA), or Associate in Science (AS)

Accounting

AAS, D, C

Careers that involve analyzing, processing, and communicating information about financial operations; workplaces include accounting firms, businesses, banks, hospitals, school systems, and government agencies.

$30,250 – $44,000

Advertising and Graphic Design

AAS, C

Occupations in graphic design; job opportunities found in advertising agencies, graphic design studios, printing companies, department stores, manufacturing industries, newspapers, and businesses with in-house graphics operations.

$26,100 – $74,700

Agricultural Systems Technology

AAS, D

Occupations involving troubleshooting and repair of agricultural equipment, including farm tractors, planters, sprayers, and harvesters; entry-level employment in agricultural systems equipment repair businesses.

$24,645 – $47,598

Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Technology

AAS, D, C

Employment as a technician trained to design, install, and service air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration equipment; work with residential and light commercial systems, including start-up and preventive maintenance.

$29,472 -$46,964

Architectural Technology

AAS, C

Positions that involve the preparation of construction documents, including environmental and structural systems, materials and methods, and building codes; employment in the architectural, engineering, and construction professions.

$26,434 – $47,319

Automotive Systems Technology

AAS

Employment as an automotive services technician; workplaces include car dealerships, repair shops, and other automotive service organizations; eligibility to take Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam.

$27,740 – $50,980

Baking & Pastry Arts

AAS, D, C

Occupations including baking/pastry assistant or assistant pastry chef in restaurants, hotels, independent bakeries, and pastry shops; opportunities in entrepreneurship or for advancement to pastry chef, cake designer, or bakery manager.

$25,000 – $51,000

Biopharmaceutical Technology

AAS, C

Careers in pharmaceutical manufacturing, chemical quality assurance, microbiological quality assurance, product inspection, documentation review, manufacturing, and product/process validation.

$24,568 – $45,082

Business Administration

AAS, C

Professions in business involving marketing, sales, customer service, finance, or business management in public, private, profit, and nonprofit organizations.

$37,000 – $83,700

Business Administration/ Global Business Management

AAS, C

A career focused on managing and leading in a global economy to include positions in public, private, profit and non-profit organizations.

$37,000 – $85,400

Business Administration/ Human Resources Management

AAS, C

Positions in human resources departments, including recruitment, staffing, training, compensation, and human resources development; work in public, private, profit, and non-profit organizations.

$38,040 – $57,400

Business Administration/ Marketing

AAS, C

A career in marketing to include opportunities in advertising, sales, social media marketing, marketing research and application; working in public, private, profit and non-profit organizations.

$31,200 – $55,680

Business Analytics

AAS, C

A career as a business analyst with the ability to analyze and propose methodologies which help firms increase profitability in diverse industries, including health care, marketing, information technology, and finance. Graduates qualify to sit for SAS certification exams.

$35,000 – $60,000

Civil Engineering Technology

AAS, C

A position as an office or field technician involved in construction management, site planning, construction layout, site inspections  or materials testing; employment in public and private sectors of the engineering and construction industry.

$26,892 – $59,321

Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology

AAS, C

Employment as an entry level collision repair technician, workplaces include car dealerships, repair shops, and other automotive service organizations; eligibility to take Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam.

$32,020 –  $54,660

Computed Tomography – CT

C

Occupations involving skilled use of specialized equipment to visualize cross-sectional anatomical structures and aid physicians; eligibility for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists testing. (Advanced-Level)

$54,184 – $67,600

Construction Equipment Systems Technology

AAS, D, C

Employment in construction equipment systems troubleshooting and repair; work on equipment including dozers, scrapers, loaders, and forklifts; entry-level employment in construction equipment repair businesses.

$25,000 – $45,000

Construction Management Technology

AAS, C

Job opportunities including construction project manager, superintendent, foreman, or estimator in the residential or commercial construction industry.

$34,253 – $43,210

Cosmetology

AAS, D

Careers in cosmetology, providing professional imaging, hair design, chemical processes, skin care, and nail care in salons and spas; graduates qualify to sit for the State Board of Cosmetic Arts exam.

$15,962 – $47,383

Criminal Justice Technology

AAS, C

Professions in law enforcement, corrections, and security fields; positions include police officer, deputy sheriff, county detention officer, state trooper, parole surveillance officer, correctional officer, and loss prevention specialist.

$32,508 – $56,319

Criminal Justice Technology/Forensic Science

AAS, C

Employment as a crime scene technician/processor (first responder) with skills in collection and preservation of evidence, sketching crime scenes with CAD software, and analysis, lifting, classification, and preservation of fingerprints.

$34,410 – $56,360

Culinary Arts

AAS, D, C

Employment as a trained professional in food service with potential advancement to sous-chef, executive chef, or manager in restaurants, resorts, or as a business owner; American Culinary Federation certification is available to graduates.   

$23,000 – $55,000

Dental Assisting

D

Career classification as a DA II by the NC State Board of Dental Examiners, eligibility to take the Dental Assisting National Board Examination to become a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA); employment in dental offices, clinics, and dental schools.

$35,390 – $50,544

Dental Hygiene

AAS

Professions involving the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of dental hygiene services; eligibility to take the state/regional and national exams for licensure; work in dental offices, public health agencies, and dental schools.

$57,200 – $74,526

Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology

AAS, D, C

Jobs in vehicle repair businesses; entry-level troubleshooting and repair of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including repair of engines, electrical and hydraulic systems, transmissions, brakes, and steering/suspension systems.

$29,261 – $54,105

Early Childhood Education

AAS, D, C

Professions working with children in learning environments, including family child care homes, preschools, public and private schools, recreational centers, Head Start programs, child development programs, and programs for school-aged children.

$20,300 – $45,300

Electrical Systems Technology

AAS, D, C

Positions in the electrical profession, assisting in the layout, installation, and maintenance of electrical systems in residential, commercial, and industrial facilities.

$28,000 – $49,282

Electronics Engineering Technology

AAS, C

Occupations designing, building, installing, testing, troubleshooting, and repairing electronic components and systems; positions include electronics engineering technician, field service technician, maintenance technician, or production control technician.

$32,500 – $66,470

Emergency Medical Science

AAS

Employment as a paramedic, with knowledge and skills in basic and advanced life support; eligibility for state and national certification exams; workplaces include fire and rescue agencies, air medical services, urgent care centers, and physician practices.

$25,625 – $37,585

Esthetics

C

Performing skin care, makeup application, scientific manipulations, and electrical applications; work environments include day spas, salons, medical practices, cruise ships, and destination resorts.

$24,300 – $36,000

Fire Protection Technology

AAS, C

Careers in fire protection and safety, with governmental agencies, industrial firms, insurance rating organizations, and municipal fire departments. Program also serves as a basis for continued education toward management positions.

$30,000 – $40,000

Geomatics Technology

AAS, C

A position as a survey crew chief, instrument operator, or office technician/CAD operator; involved in construction, GPS, boundary, and topographic surveying and mapping; employment in the surveying, engineering, or construction industry.

$33,483 – $48,913

Health and Fitness Science

AAS, C

Positions in health and wellness programs in commercial fitness clubs, business, industry, YMCAs/YWCAs, parks, recreation, and other organizations with exercise and fitness programs.

$24,130 – $59,830

Heavy Equipment Operator

D, C

Jobs that require driving, maneuvering, or operating heavy equipment, including  backhoes, excavators, and dozers, which are used to construct roads, bridges, and buildings; employment in the construction industry or with government agencies.

$34,750 – $48,480

Hospitality Management

AAS, D, C

Careers in the food and lodging industry including front office, reservations, housekeeping, purchasing, dining room, and marketing; entry-level, supervisory, and managerial employment in hotels, motels, resorts, inns, restaurants, and clubs.

$28,640 – $51,030

Human Services Technology

AAS

Entry-level positions in institutions and agencies that provide social, community, and educational services, including mental health, child care, rehabilitation, and education.

$25,140 – $34,750

Human Services Technology/Mental Health

AAS

Entry level positions including treatment assistant, community liaison, or behavioral disorder counselor; work in mental health settings assisting a treatment team or implementing treatment plans.

$28,850 – $38,520

Human Services Technology/Substance Abuse

AAS, C

Employment as substance abuse counselors, DWI counselors, halfway house staff, residential facility employees, and substance abuse education specialists in facilities that provide these services.

$25,140 – $40,400

Information Technology – Cyber Security

AAS, D

Employment as security administrator who utilizes networking technologies, intrusion detection, security administration, and industry best practices to protect data communications; eligibility to pursue security certification.

$43,113 – $100,510

Information Technology – Computer Engineering

AAS

Occupations in electronics technology, computer service and support, computer networking, server administration, programming, and other areas requiring a knowledge of electronic and computer system repair.

$44,000 – $112,000

Information Technology – Computer Programming and Development

AAS, C

Careers in the design and development of desktop and web applications, proficient in Java, MVC, REST, unit testing, server-side JavaScript, and SQL; positions include programmer, software developer, and quality assurance specialist; work settings include healthcare, manufacturing, and software publishing.

$50,000 – $107,000

Information Technology – Data Science and Programming Support Services

AAS, C

The design and development of desktop and web applications with an emphasis on business logic and data-driven applications; proficient in Python, SQL, XML, JavaScript; occupations include database specialist, programmer/analyst, and quality assurance specialist in a wide variety of work settings.

$60,000 – $129,000

Information Technology – Healthcare Business Informatics

AAS

Positions supporting healthcare organizations that implement, deploy, and support healthcare IT systems in U.S. clinical settings; eligibility to take certification examinations for various healthcare network environments.

$33,087 – $68,680

Information Technology – Mobile Applications Developer

AAS, C

Positions involving the design of mobile applications for Android and iOS mobile devices; proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Java, Swift, and UI/UX;  work as a programmer, software developer, mobile application developer, programmer/analyst, technical support specialist, software tester.

$43,000 – $94,000

Information Technology – Network Management

AAS, C

Positions supporting local- and wide-area networks; employment as local-area network manager, network operator, network analyst, or network technician; eligibility to take certification examinations for various network environments.

$36,318 – $77,935

Information Technology – Software and Web Development

AAS, C

A career as a software developer, web developer, programmer/analyst, software architect, technical support specialist, software tester, technical writer, proficient in C#, .NET, MVC, HTML, JavaScript, and SQL; work in healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, finance and software publishing.

$50,000 – $104,000

Information Technology – Storage & Virtualization

AAS

Industry-specific certification exams; Careers in computer technology involving datacenter technologies, virtualization methods, and large volume storage centers; work as designers, testers, developers, or support technicians in organizations which rely on computer systems to design and manage information.

$33,906 – $74,643

Information Technology – Technical Support

AAS, C

Careers in systems maintenance, troubleshooting, support, training, business applications design and implementation; opportunities for advancement and skill building, often through employer-sponsored training.

$33,087 – $68,680

Information Technology – Web Designer

AAS, C

The ability to develop and maintain professional, high-quality websites; proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, web analytics; occupations include webmaster, user experience specialist, web designer, analyst,  and support specialist; work in a wide variety of industries or as a freelance web designer.

$50,000 – $70,000

Information Technology – Web Developer

AAS, C

The development of high-quality websites, including web application components; proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, ASP.NET, PHP, web analytics, content management systems; careers include programmer, web developer, web content developer, webmaster, and web analyst.

$50,000 – $85,000

Interior Design

AAS

Careers in commercial and residential interior design, set design, and/or showroom design, with training in professional practices, aesthetic principles, computer-aided design, color theory, and business practices.

$23,691 – $44,862

Lateral Entry Teaching

C

Lateral Entry Teaching in NC Public Schools at the middle- or high-school level; program consists of coursework needed to become licensed by the NC Department of Instruction. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and meet additional criteria.

$37,710 – $41,760

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

D

Employment as an MRI technologist who uses magnetic energy fields to produce images of the human body in health care facilities; eligibility to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) examination for certification and registration.

$54,184 – $67,600

Mechanical Engineering Technology

AAS, C

Employment as a mechanical technician, assisting in the design, development, testing, and repair of mechanical equipment for manufacturing, fabrication, research and development; careers involving skills to design, invent, and troubleshoot products.

$34,155 – $47,036

Medical Assisting

AAS, D

A career as a health care professional who performs administrative, clinical, and laboratory procedures in physicians’ offices and hospitals; eligibility to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants Certification Examination – CMA (AAMA).

$27,758 – $34,652

Medical Laboratory Technology

AAS

Careers performing laboratory procedures used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease; work in hospitals, laboratories, and research facilities; eligibility for National Certification exam by the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

$35,692 – $57,720

Medical Office Administration*

AAS, D, C

Medical administrative support positions including medical records clerk, insurance specialist, and patient services representative; workplaces include healthcare facilities, insurance billing offices, labs, and manufacturers of medical equipment.

$25,000 – $36,400

Mission Critical Operations

AAS, C

Performing repairs and maintenance of mechanical and electrical equipment for critical data storage, manufacturing, and information processing; careers involving skills to recognize, diagnose, and troubleshoot threats to critical operations of 24-hour facilities and operations.

$36,700 – $51,000

Nursing, Associate Degree

AAS

A career as a registered nurse, upon successful completion of the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX); workplaces include hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, physicians’ offices, industry, and community agencies.

$56,000 – $79,000

Office Administration – Legal Office

AAS, C

Careers include Legal Office Manager, Legal Secretary, Legal Administrative Assistant, Legal Records Clerk, and Office Services Manager with employment opportunities in government agencies, the court system, law offices, real estate offices, financial institutions, and large to small offices and businesses. Students are eligible to take industry-recognized certification exams.

$35,000 – $60,000

Office Administration – Office Finance

AAS

Careers include Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Office Services, Office Services Assistant, and Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable Clerk with employment opportunities in government agencies, real estate offices, financial institutions, and large to small offices and businesses.  Students are eligible to take industry-recognized certification exams.

$32,000 – $50,000

Office Administration – Office Professional

AAS, D, C

Careers include Administrative Assistant, Executive Assistant, Receptionist, Office Manager, and Office Services with employment opportunities in a variety of office positions in business, government, and industry. Students are eligible to take industry-recognized certification exams.

$30,000 – $45,000

Office Administration – Office Software

AAS, C

Careers include Administrative Assistant, Executive Assistant, Office Manager, and Office Services with employment opportunities in government agencies, financial institutions, and large to small offices and businesses. Students are eligible to take industry-recognized certification exams.

$32,000 – $50,000

Pharmacy Technology

AAS, D

Employment as pharmacy technicians who assist licensed pharmacists; work in medication compounding, specialty and medication therapy management pharmacies, and hospitals; eligibility to take the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.

$20,640 – $54,932

Phlebotomy

C

Careers in the field of phlebotomy, obtaining and transporting blood and other specimens for laboratory analysis; eligibility for national certification as a phlebotomy technician; work in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and other health care settings.

$26,728 – $34,049

Plumbing

D,C

Jobs assisting with the installation and repair of plumbing systems in residential and small commercial buildings; employment with maintenance companies, plumbing contractors, and parts suppliers.

$29,076 – $48,682

Radiography

AAS

A career as a radiographer, who uses radiation to produce images of the human body; work in hospitals, clinics, or physicians’ offices; eligibility to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists’ national exam for certification.

$40,684 – $60,944

Simulation and Game Development

AAS, D, C

Careers as designers, artists, animators, programmers, testers, quality assurance analysts, engineers, or administrators in the entertainment industry, health care, education, corporate training, and government agencies.

$40,100 – $78,000

Supply Chain Management/ Distribution Management

AAS, C

Logistics positions that include warehousing, distribution, materials management, transportation, and logistics analysis; employers include government agencies, manufacturing, retail, and service organizations

$31,000 – $50,000

Supply Chain Management/ Global Logistics Technology

AAS, C

Careers involving the production, movement, and distribution of materials and goods around the globe; employers include government agencies, manufacturing, retail, and service organizations

$31,000 – $50,000

Surgical Technology

D

Employment as a skilled member of a surgical team; job opportunities in labor and delivery, emergency, inpatient/outpatient surgery centers, dialysis units, and physicians’ offices.

$34,049 – $44,824

Therapeutic Massage

D

Occupations providing client care through therapeutic massage; workplaces include medical practices, athletic settings, spas, and private practices; eligibility to take the MBLEx and apply for a North Carolina license.

$30,534 – $54,600

Welding Technology

AAS, D, C

Jobs in the welding and metalworking industry; employment as an entry-level technician in construction, manufacturing, fabrication, sales, and quality control environments.

$30,447 – $40,255

Sources: U.S. Department of Labor www.bls.gov, www.salary.com, www.naceweb.org, and employer surveys. Salaries may vary based on experience, education, and location.