Studies & Degrees in Instrumentation Technology
Instrumentation Technology Study Programs
Instrumentation technology deals with the devices that measure and control industrial processes. In a refinery, a power station, a water treatment works or a food factory, sensors read pressure, temperature, level and flow, and controllers act on valves, pumps and motors to keep the process within its limits. Instrumentation technicians install, calibrate, maintain and repair that equipment.
The International Society of Automation (ISA) describes certified control systems technicians as people who calibrate, document, troubleshoot and repair or replace instrumentation for systems that measure and control level, temperature, pressure, flow and other process variables, and who are skilled in pneumatic, mechanical and electronic instrumentation. Programmes therefore combine electricity and electronics with process control: electrical theory, motor control, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), control loops, calibration and safety.
Qualifications and levels
Most programmes are technician-level and last two years or less.
- Certificates. Short programmes give entry-level skills. Idaho State University, for example, offers a Basic Technical Certificate, Instrumentation and Automation Assistant, and a specialised certificate in industrial controls.
- Associate degrees. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gives an associate degree as the typical entry-level education for electrical and electronic engineering technicians, and an associate degree or postsecondary certificate for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technicians. Idaho State University awards an Associate of Applied Science in Industrial Automation Engineering Technology; the programme admits 20 students in each cohort and starts in August. Western Wyoming Community College teaches Electrical and Instrumentation Technology, from power distribution and motor control to PLCs and instrumentation systems, and states that students can continue to its Bachelor of Applied Science options.
- Spain. The related official vocational (FP) title is Técnico Superior en Automatización y Robótica Industrial, a grado superior cycle of 2,000 hours whose modules include measurement and regulation systems (Sistemas de medida y regulación).
- Professional certification. The ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) has three levels. Level 1 requires at least five years of education and experience combined, level 2 seven years and level 3 thirteen years.
The BLS notes that associate degree programmes in this area usually include algebra, trigonometry and sciences, so a sound base in mathematics helps.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists six active schools for instrumentation technology. Five are in the United States: Idaho State University (Pocatello), Western Wyoming Community College (Rock Springs), San Juan College (Farmington, New Mexico), Delaware Technical & Community College (Dover) and Temple University (Philadelphia). One is in France: Sorbonne Université in Paris.
The programmes in the United States are taught in English. Titles differ: the subject appears as instrumentation, industrial automation, process control or electrical and instrumentation technology, and at universities it may be part of an electronics or engineering programme. Ask each school which programme covers instrumentation, how many hours are spent in the laboratory and which equipment students work on.
Careers
Instrumentation technicians work wherever a process is measured and controlled. Idaho State University lists manufacturing, food and beverage processing, chemical processing, mining, petroleum, refining and water treatment, power generation, building automation, control systems integration, and calibration, maintenance and repair shops. In Spain, the official job profiles of the Automatización y Robótica Industrial title include designer of measurement and regulation systems and commissioning technician for industrial automation systems.
The BLS has no separate profile for instrumentation technicians. For the related group of electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians it projects employment in the United States to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,400 openings each year.
Frequently asked questions
What does an instrumentation technician do?
The technician installs, calibrates, maintains and repairs the instruments that measure and control variables such as pressure, temperature, level and flow in industrial plants.
How long does an instrumentation technology programme take?
Certificates are shorter than a degree, and an associate degree is a two-year qualification. In Spain the related grado superior cycle has 2,000 hours.
Is there a recognised certification?
Yes. The ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) has three levels; the first requires at least five years of education and experience combined.
Is instrumentation the same as industrial automation?
They overlap. Instrumentation centres on measuring and controlling process variables, while automation also covers PLC programming, robots and industrial networks. Many colleges teach both in one programme.