IRC: 32 occupations with an interest code starting with IRC
A Holland code is one to three letters in order of strength. Investigative · Realistic · Conventional — that is what IRC stands for here. Below are the O*NET occupations whose Interest High-Point (IH) code begins with these letters.
Quick answer
- Occupations with this code
- 32
- Occupations shown
- All 32; ordered by U.S. employment
- Median wage on this page (lowest – highest)
- 32 of 32 occupations with a published median ($50,290 – $420,860)
The range covers only the occupations shown on this page.
O*NET Database 31.0 (retrieved 2026-09-15); BLS OES May 2025 release (retrieved 2026-09-15).
Occupations with this code
Ordered by U.S. employment, largest first. The order means nothing else: it is not a recommendation, and this page does not know your interests.
Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2112.01
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $102,440
- U.S. employment
- 365,740
- Typical education
- Master's
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-2011.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $62,930
- U.S. employment
- 332,940
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Cytogenetic Technologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-2011.01
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $62,930
- U.S. employment
- 332,940
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Cytotechnologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-2011.02
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $62,930
- U.S. employment
- 332,940
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Histotechnologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-2011.04
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $62,930
- U.S. employment
- 332,940
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Neurodiagnostic Technologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-2099.01
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $50,290
- U.S. employment
- 182,610
- Typical education
- Associate's (2-year)
Microsystems Engineers
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2199.06
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $122,930
- U.S. employment
- 154,070
- Typical education
- Master's
Nanosystems Engineers
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2199.09
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $122,930
- U.S. employment
- 154,070
- Typical education
- Doctorate
Water Resource Specialists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 11-9121.02
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $167,220
- U.S. employment
- 108,690
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2041.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $82,220
- U.S. employment
- 89,250
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Environmental Restoration Planners
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2041.02
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $82,220
- U.S. employment
- 89,250
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Industrial Ecologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2041.03
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $82,220
- U.S. employment
- 89,250
- Typical education
- Master's
Chemists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2031.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $91,240
- U.S. employment
- 82,770
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Aerospace Engineers
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2011.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $134,960
- U.S. employment
- 67,710
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Chemical Technicians
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-4031.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $60,390
- U.S. employment
- 57,540
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Environmental Engineers
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2081.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $107,110
- U.S. employment
- 38,340
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Radiologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-1224.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $420,860
- U.S. employment
- 26,770
- Typical education
- Post-doctoral
Conservation Scientists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-1031.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $73,010
- U.S. employment
- 25,950
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2031.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $109,370
- U.S. employment
- 23,480
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2042.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $101,920
- U.S. employment
- 23,470
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2099.01
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $122,570
- U.S. employment
- 22,300
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2111.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $115,160
- U.S. employment
- 21,450
- Typical education
- —
Physicists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2012.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $172,250
- U.S. employment
- 20,430
- Typical education
- Doctorate
Forensic Science Technicians
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-4092.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $72,060
- U.S. employment
- 19,120
- Typical education
- Vocational certificate
Microbiologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-1022.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $87,990
- U.S. employment
- 18,940
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Nuclear Engineers
- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2161.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $133,970
- U.S. employment
- 15,280
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Food Scientists and Technologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-1012.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $88,720
- U.S. employment
- 13,060
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Physicians, Pathologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-1222.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $312,400
- U.S. employment
- 11,110
- Typical education
- Post-doctoral
Atmospheric and Space Scientists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2021.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $99,070
- U.S. employment
- 10,000
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Materials Scientists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2032.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $117,790
- U.S. employment
- 8,470
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
Orthodontists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-1023.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $289,140
- U.S. employment
- 6,210
- Typical education
- Post-doctoral
Hydrologists
- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-2043.00
- Its Holland code
- IRC
- U.S. median wage
- $96,600
- U.S. employment
- 5,850
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
| Occupation | O*NET-SOC code | Its Holland code | U.S. median wage | U.S. employment | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists | 17-2112.01 | IRC | $102,440 | 365,740 | Master's |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 29-2011.00 | IRC | $62,930 | 332,940 | Bachelor's |
| Cytogenetic Technologists | 29-2011.01 | IRC | $62,930 | 332,940 | Bachelor's |
| Cytotechnologists | 29-2011.02 | IRC | $62,930 | 332,940 | Bachelor's |
| Histotechnologists | 29-2011.04 | IRC | $62,930 | 332,940 | Bachelor's |
| Neurodiagnostic Technologists | 29-2099.01 | IRC | $50,290 | 182,610 | Associate's (2-year) |
| Microsystems Engineers | 17-2199.06 | IRC | $122,930 | 154,070 | Master's |
| Nanosystems Engineers | 17-2199.09 | IRC | $122,930 | 154,070 | Doctorate |
| Water Resource Specialists | 11-9121.02 | IRC | $167,220 | 108,690 | Bachelor's |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 19-2041.00 | IRC | $82,220 | 89,250 | Bachelor's |
| Environmental Restoration Planners | 19-2041.02 | IRC | $82,220 | 89,250 | Bachelor's |
| Industrial Ecologists | 19-2041.03 | IRC | $82,220 | 89,250 | Master's |
| Chemists | 19-2031.00 | IRC | $91,240 | 82,770 | Bachelor's |
| Aerospace Engineers | 17-2011.00 | IRC | $134,960 | 67,710 | Bachelor's |
| Chemical Technicians | 19-4031.00 | IRC | $60,390 | 57,540 | Bachelor's |
| Environmental Engineers | 17-2081.00 | IRC | $107,110 | 38,340 | Bachelor's |
| Radiologists | 29-1224.00 | IRC | $420,860 | 26,770 | Post-doctoral |
| Conservation Scientists | 19-1031.00 | IRC | $73,010 | 25,950 | Bachelor's |
| Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers | 17-2031.00 | IRC | $109,370 | 23,480 | Bachelor's |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | 19-2042.00 | IRC | $101,920 | 23,470 | Bachelor's |
| Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists | 19-2099.01 | IRC | $122,570 | 22,300 | Bachelor's |
| Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors | 17-2111.00 | IRC | $115,160 | 21,450 | — |
| Physicists | 19-2012.00 | IRC | $172,250 | 20,430 | Doctorate |
| Forensic Science Technicians | 19-4092.00 | IRC | $72,060 | 19,120 | Vocational certificate |
| Microbiologists | 19-1022.00 | IRC | $87,990 | 18,940 | Bachelor's |
| Nuclear Engineers | 17-2161.00 | IRC | $133,970 | 15,280 | Bachelor's |
| Food Scientists and Technologists | 19-1012.00 | IRC | $88,720 | 13,060 | Bachelor's |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 29-1222.00 | IRC | $312,400 | 11,110 | Post-doctoral |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | 19-2021.00 | IRC | $99,070 | 10,000 | Bachelor's |
| Materials Scientists | 19-2032.00 | IRC | $117,790 | 8,470 | Bachelor's |
| Orthodontists | 29-1023.00 | IRC | $289,140 | 6,210 | Post-doctoral |
| Hydrologists | 19-2043.00 | IRC | $96,600 | 5,850 | Bachelor's |
The table lists all 32 occupations with this code.
Median wage is the employee annual median from BLS OES; it excludes self-employed workers and owners. “Not published” means BLS does not publish a median for that occupation — it is not zero.
“—” means O*NET does not publish a typical education level for that occupation: 1 of the 32 rows on this page show “—”, and in O*NET Database 31.0 this field does not cover every occupation. Where a level is given, it is the most common category in O*NET's education data, translated.
Wages and employment come from BLS OES, which publishes them by 6-digit SOC occupation. Several O*NET occupations can sit under one SOC code and share the same estimates — that is why some rows show identical wages and employment.
Of the 32 rows on this page, 4 are not a wage BLS publishes for that occupation itself: 0 use the number for the successor SOC code that absorbed the occupation, and 4 use the broader group BLS reports them under. The remaining rows are the median BLS publishes at the occupation's own 6-digit SOC level.
What these occupations mean
Every O*NET occupation carries an interest profile: six shares, one per RIASEC direction. O*NET turns that profile into the occupation's Interest High-Point (IH) code with the variable high-point rule: take the directions whose share is above .17, highest first, up to three (Rounds et al., 1999; Step 3 of the 2023 O*NET report “Using Machine Learning to Develop Occupational Interest Profiles and High-Point Codes”). That is why a code can have one, two or three letters. This page reports the codes as O*NET published them — the list describes these occupations, not you.
Your own code is generated by this product from your questionnaire scores, with a different rule: the three highest directions, with ties broken in a fixed order. The two sides also measure different things — the questionnaire asks what you like doing, while an occupation profile measures how much of that interest content the work involves. No study equates the two.
Three honest notes
- The occupation-side profiles are machine-generated: O*NET derived them with machine learning from work activities and related data (see the 2023 report “Using Machine Learning to Develop Occupational Interest Profiles and High-Point Codes”), not from analyst ratings.
- Even where an interest code carries some predictive signal, it is weak: it cannot tell whether a particular person will do a job well, and it does not predict income. An occupation-level profile also hides the differences between people doing the same job.
- Interests change with experience — courses, projects and internships can move them. A code is a snapshot, not a fixed trait.
Find your own code
The 60 items of the O*NET® Interest Profiler Short Form (adapted by this product) produce your own code and the occupations with the closest interest profiles, with the same U.S. wage data.
60 questions · free, no sign-up
Other codes and pages
Also published for this prefix: IR