Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 15.07. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 268 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 109 | 684 | $60,799 | $62,511 | $20,250 4 programs |
| Associate's degree | 70 | 794 | $60,096 | $77,094 | $18,060 4 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 31 | 1,565 | $73,581 | $86,525 | $25,546 18 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 24 | 796 | $93,356 | $103,349 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 1 | 6 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 29 | 93 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferris State University MI · Public · 53 graduates measured | $72,850 | $85,477 | $20,500 |
| Ashland Community and Technical College KY · Public · 28 graduates measured | $59,545 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Ocean Corporation TX · Private, for-profit · 94 graduates measured | $56,589 | $56,587 | $9,500 |
| Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology OK · Private, for-profit · 60 graduates measured | $40,619 | $54,749 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Southern University AL · Private, for-profit · 141 graduates measured | $79,903 | $87,340 | $17,000 |
| Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology OK · Private, for-profit · 63 graduates measured | $47,376 | $48,533 | Data unavailable |
| Del Mar College TX · Public · 30 graduates measured | $46,321 | $65,106 | Data unavailable |
| Texas State Technical College TX · Public · 28 graduates measured | $36,983 | $57,050 | $16,037 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Southern University AL · Private, for-profit · 483 graduates measured | $87,112 | $94,480 | $27,208 |
| Central Washington University WA · Public · 34 graduates measured | $86,594 | $97,869 | $18,500 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 109 graduates measured | $78,548 | $90,257 | $27,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WI · Public · 63 graduates measured | $76,110 | $81,385 | $26,000 |
| Murray State University KY · Public · 67 graduates measured | $75,788 | $84,705 | $21,500 |
| Eastern Kentucky University KY · Public · 134 graduates measured | $75,355 | $92,289 | $26,000 |
| University of Central Missouri MO · Public · 41 graduates measured | $75,296 | $84,738 | $21,150 |
| Indiana State University IN · Public · 28 graduates measured | $73,452 | $82,303 | Data unavailable |
| Grand Valley State University MI · Public · 27 graduates measured | $72,846 | $80,398 | $26,500 |
| Jacksonville State University AL · Public · 31 graduates measured | $72,830 | $90,850 | $24,000 |
| Pittsburg State University KS · Public · 20 graduates measured | $71,487 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Waldorf University IA · Private, for-profit · 109 graduates measured | $69,728 | $83,151 | $26,174 |
| Keene State College NH · Public · 130 graduates measured | $69,475 | $87,710 | $27,000 |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 228 graduates measured | $68,404 | $84,783 | $25,000 |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 51 graduates measured | $67,303 | $91,742 | $16,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarleton State University TX · Public · 20 graduates measured | $105,343 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Central Washington University WA · Public · 18 graduates measured | $104,672 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills CA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $104,541 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Kennesaw State University GA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $100,040 | $123,113 | Data unavailable |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach FL · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $94,393 | $94,965 | Data unavailable |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide FL · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $94,393 | $94,965 | Data unavailable |
| Columbia Southern University AL · Private, for-profit · 376 graduates measured | $92,492 | $99,847 | Data unavailable |
| Murray State University KY · Public · 34 graduates measured | $91,847 | $107,129 | Data unavailable |
| University of Central Missouri MO · Public · 31 graduates measured | $84,896 | $103,490 | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania PA · Public · 35 graduates measured | $81,867 | $115,062 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental engineering technologists and technicians | $59,920 | +3.1% | Associate's degree |
| Industrial engineering technologists and technicians | $66,120 | +3.1% | Associate's degree |
| Occupational health and safety specialists | $90,150 | +18.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Occupational health and safety technicians | $61,560 | +19.4% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers | $48,570 | +2.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (6)
- 15.0701 Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician
- 15.0702 Quality Control Technology/Technician
- 15.0703 Industrial Safety Technology/Technician
- 15.0704 Hazardous Materials Information Systems Technology/Technician
- 15.0705 Process Safety Technology/Technician
- 15.0799 Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Other