Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technician Career Assessment
Two-year degree, robots and automated machines, top pay in this group
Welcome
This is a two-year career with the highest middle pay of the three technician jobs in this packet. The middle North Dakota worker earns about $39.82 an hour, or about $82,820 a year. No four-year degree. No calculus.
Mechatronics technicians keep robots and automated machines running. If you liked taking things apart to see how they worked, read on.
This takes about 15 minutes.
What is a Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technician?
Mechatronics is a made-up word that joins "mechanical" and "electronics." It means machines that mix moving parts, electrical parts, and a computer that runs them, like a robot arm on a production line. A mechatronics technician installs those machines, keeps them running, and fixes them when they stop. A big piece of the job is the PLC, or programmable logic controller. That is a rugged industrial computer that tells a machine what to do and in what order. Technicians read PLC programs, find the step where something went wrong, and correct it. They also work on motors, drives, sensors, hydraulics, and air-powered parts.
The Reality: Two years of school, but do not mistake that for easy. You are learning three trades at once: mechanical, electrical, and computer control. When a line goes down, you have to figure out which of the three is the problem, and the plant is losing money while you do. That pressure is real. The math is college algebra and trigonometry, which is genuinely reachable. NDSCS lists MATH 103 College Algebra and MATH 105 Trigonometry for its mechatronics degree, and that is the level. Expect shift work, on-call, and weekend callouts, because machines break when they break. The floor is loud and hearing protection is standard. You will kneel, reach into machine frames, and sometimes work in tight spots inside equipment. Working near energized panels means arc-flash gear.
Your Responsibilities:
- Install and set up robots and automated machinery
- Read PLC programs to find where a machine stopped
- Troubleshoot across mechanical, electrical, and control problems
- Replace motors, drives, belts, bearings, and sensors
- Work on hydraulic and air-powered parts of a machine
- Align and adjust machines so they run within tolerance
- Do planned maintenance so machines break down less
- Keep clear records of repairs and parts used
You keep the automated machines running, and everything downstream depends on that.
A Day in the Life
6:00 AM — Shift handoff. The night crew says line 3 is running slow.
6:30 AM — Pull up the PLC on a laptop and watch the step where it hangs.
7:30 AM — Find a sensor that is reading late. Clean and realign it.
9:00 AM — Planned maintenance: grease bearings and check belt tension on line 1.
11:30 AM — Lunch.
12:15 PM — A robot arm faults out. Arc-flash gear on, check the drive.
2:00 PM — Replace the drive, reload the settings, and test the arm.
3:30 PM — Log the repair and order a spare drive before you leave.
Fast-moving, hands-on work with real pressure when a line is down.
Training in North Dakota
A two-year associate degree is the standard path, and North Dakota has strong programs. Employers want a two-year degree in mechatronics, robotics and automation, or industrial maintenance. The classes are mostly lab. You take college algebra and trigonometry, not calculus. You can also stack a two-year degree into a four-year applied degree later without starting over.
Training Pathways:
- Mechatronics or robotics AAS (2 years): NDSCS lists RAMT-Mechatronics Engineering Technology, A.A.S. and RAMT-General Technician, A.A.S. The mechatronics degree is 69 credits and the NDSCS catalog lists MATH 103 College Algebra and MATH 105 Trigonometry as the math (ndscs.edu, catalog.ndscs.edu).
- Industrial automation AAS (2 years): Bismarck State College offers Industrial Automation and Robotics, AAS, on campus. BSC says it "prepares students to install, maintain, repair, operate, and troubleshoot physical machines and control systems used to automate tasks within an industrial process" (catalog.bismarckstate.edu).
- Stack it into a four-year applied degree (2 more years, optional): BSC says Industrial Automation and Robotics graduates "may stack credits into Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in Mechatronics Engineering Technology, Operations Management, or Energy Management." That is a four-year degree you can reach after you are already working and earning (catalog.bismarckstate.edu).
Where to Train in North Dakota:
- North Dakota State College of Science (Wahpeton) — RAMT-Mechatronics Engineering Technology, A.A.S., 69 credits. The catalog says the program "combines disciplines such as robotics, computer networking, automated controls, mechanics, and fluid power" and lists MATH 103 College Algebra and MATH 105 Trigonometry — catalog.ndscs.edu/robotics-automation-and-mechatronics-technology/associate-in-applied-science/ramtmechatronics
- North Dakota State College of Science (Wahpeton) — RAMT-General Technician, A.A.S., the other option in the same department, covering Fanuc robotics, robotic vision systems, PLC programming, CAD, machine safety, and predictive maintenance — catalog.ndscs.edu/robotics-automation-and-mechatronics-technology
- Bismarck State College (Bismarck) — Industrial Automation and Robotics, AAS, on campus. BSC says it requires a high school background in applied physics and algebra, and that credits stack into a Bachelor of Applied Science — catalog.bismarckstate.edu/catalog/degrees/career-technical-education/industrial-automation
- Williston State College (Williston) — Electronics and Industrial Controls, AAS, minimum 62 credits, covering PLCs, process control, SCADA, and industrial automation. WSC lists Automation Technician and PLC Programmer among its graduate job titles — willistonstate.edu/programs/Electronics-and-Industrial-Controls
- Bismarck State College (Bismarck) — Mechatronics Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Applied Science, if you later want the four-year applied degree. BSC says it is "offered on-campus with some courses available online" — bismarckstate.edu/academics/programs/MechatronicsEngineeringTechnologyBAS
Before You Start: High school diploma or GED. Be ready for college algebra, and expect trigonometry. BSC asks for a high school background in applied physics and algebra for its automation degree. Basic computer comfort helps, because you will have a laptop plugged into machines. A driver's license.
Tip: Start with financial aid and scholarships. Fill out the FAFSA, ask the school’s financial aid office what you qualify for, and ask an employer whether they help pay for school. That is where the money starts. After that, ask a career counselor or Job Service North Dakota whether WIOA or other programs can help with what is left over, like tuition, books, a laptop, or exam fees. What can be paid for depends on the program and on your own situation, so ask before you enroll rather than after. Worth asking about specifically: two-year degrees that train you for a job, like civil engineering technology, land surveying, mechatronics, electronics, or instrumentation. North Dakota two-year colleges also cost far less than a university. Ask about paid summer internships too — engineering firms, plants, and survey crews hire students while they are still in school.
Certification & Licensing
No state license is required. Employers and machine makers name the training they want. North Dakota does not license mechatronics technicians. What matters here is what you can do on real equipment, plus whatever brand-specific training your employer runs. Schools name the brands they teach on, and that is worth checking. NDSCS, for example, names Fanuc robotics in its course descriptions. Some national credentials also exist and are real.
Real Credentials in This Field:
- No North Dakota license required — your two-year degree and your hands-on record are the credential most employers look at
- Brand-specific robot training — the NDSCS catalog names Fanuc robotics systems, robotic vision systems, and PLC programming in its robotics and automation coursework. Training on the brand your employer runs is often the most valuable thing on your resume (catalog.ndscs.edu)
- ISA CCST Level 1 — Certified Control Systems Technician. ISA says you "must have at least 5 years of combined education, training and a minimum of 1 year of related work experience," and a degree counts up to 4 years toward that (isa.org/certification/ccst/ccst-requirements)
- ISA CCST Level 2 and Level 3 — ISA asks for 7 years combined for Level 2 and 13 years combined for Level 3, with 2 and 5 years respectively in instrumentation, measurement, and control
- ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP) — ISA describes CAP as demonstrating "mastery of standardized automation knowledge." It is aimed at people further along in automation work (isa.org/certification)
- NICET certification — the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies runs a Level I through IV ladder for engineering technicians, including a Systems Software Integrator program for systems integration work (nicet.org)
The Exams: ISA and NICET exams are taken at their own test centers. ISA says work experience and school time cannot overlap when you count years toward a level. Robot manufacturer training is usually a class at the maker's training center or at your plant, not a formal exam.
Cost: Ask ISA and NICET for current fees. Manufacturer training is normally paid for by your employer, so ask in the interview whether they send technicians to training and how often.
Keeping It Current: NICET says certifications are recertified every three years with continuing professional development. ISA credentials renew on their own schedule. Manufacturer training has no renewal, but new machine models mean new classes.
Salary & Job Outlook
North Dakota Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technician Pay (May 2025):
- Starting out (bottom 10–25%): $30.08–$35.27/hour ($62,570–$73,350/year)
- Middle (median — half earn more, half earn less): $39.82/hour ($82,820/year)
- Experienced (top 25–10%): $48.17–$65.87/hour ($100,190–$137,020/year)
What that means: North Dakota numbers were published, so these are real ND figures. The middle worker earns about $39.82 an hour, or about $82,820 a year, on a two-year degree. North Dakota beats the national numbers at every level here, and by a lot at the bottom: the ND 10th percentile is $30.08 an hour against a US 10th percentile of $23.00. Even the lowest-paid quarter in this state does well. One caution: about 100 of these technicians are counted statewide, which is a small sample, so the top number ($65.87) probably reflects a handful of senior people at high-paying plants. Overtime and callout pay are common and are not in these figures.
Jobs in North Dakota: About 100 people do this work in ND today. By 2034, that should be about 110 (about 9% growth). Expect about 10 job openings every year in ND from growth and people retiring or changing jobs. Across the U.S., the change is about 1% growth — slower than average.
Outlook: Good for North Dakota, and better than the national picture. O*NET shows about 100 of these technicians in the state now and about 110 by 2034, about 9% growth, with about 10 openings a year. Nationally the field is nearly flat at about 1% with about 1,300 openings. The reason North Dakota looks better is that plants here keep adding automation and need people to run it. Ten openings a year is small in absolute terms, so line up employer contacts while you are still in school.
Who Hires in ND: Manufacturers, food and agricultural processing plants, ethanol and sugar plants, refineries and gas plants, power plants, equipment makers, and machine builders and integrators who install automation for other companies.
Work Setting: A production floor or machine shop. Loud, so hearing protection is standard. Often warm near equipment. Work near energized panels means arc-flash rated clothing, a face shield, and gloves. Many plants run around the clock, so expect shifts, weekend rotations, and callouts when a line goes down.
Physical Demands: Medium to high. Standing and walking a full shift, kneeling, reaching into machine frames, and lifting motors and parts. Some work in tight spots inside equipment guarding, and some ladder or platform work. This is the most physical of the three technician careers here. If you have a lifting, kneeling, or confined-space limitation, say so early and ask about controls-focused or shop-bench jobs, which exist.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, North Dakota, May 2025 (SOC 17-3024); North Dakota and U.S. long-term employment projections 2024–2034, via O*NET OnLine. Numbers are rounded.
Where This Leads
Path 1: Maintenance Helper or Apprentice — Learning the machines beside an experienced technician.
Path 2: Mechatronics or Automation Technician — Running your own calls on your own equipment.
Path 3: Controls Technician or PLC Specialist — Focusing on the control programs and panels.
Path 4: Lead Technician or Maintenance Planner — Planning the work and guiding the crew.
Path 5: Field Service or Integration Technician — Traveling to install automation at customer plants.
Path 6: Maintenance or Operations Supervisor — Running the department.
The Real Talk
What's Great:
- Highest middle pay of the three technician jobs
- Two-year degree, no calculus
- ND pay beats US pay at every level
- You work with robots every day
- Skills transfer to any plant
- Can stack into a four-year applied degree later
What's Hard:
- Three skill areas to learn at once
- Real pressure when a line is down
- Shift work, weekends, and callouts
- Loud floors and hearing protection
- Kneeling, reaching, and tight spots
- Only about 10 ND openings a year
Be Honest: Can you stay calm and think in order while a line is down and people are waiting on you? Are you willing to work shifts and take callouts? Can you handle a physical job with kneeling, reaching, and tight spaces?