Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 6 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$61,605 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$61,605Median year-4 earnings
$15,701Average institution net-price context
$15,200Median federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$61,605Median reported earnings · year 4
$64,409Average reported earnings · year 5
$15,200Median federal debt
73thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
1,229IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
5With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 3 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $61,605
- Federal debt
- $15,200
- Reporting programs
- 6
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,349
- Federal debt
- $16,710
- Reporting programs
- 6
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $84,705
- Federal debt
- $25,833
- Reporting programs
- 20
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $101,910
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 12
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$56,587National median$61,60575th percentile$84,636
5 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
6 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Ferris State University$85,4772Columbia Southern University$84,6363Ogden-Weber Technical College$61,6054Ocean Corporation$56,5875Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology$54,7496Ashland Community and Technical CollegeNot availableObserved year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →21%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150 median wage140,610 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-5011+18.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 17.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$55,000–$134,950 10th–90th percentileIndustrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,120 median wage75,570 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-3026+3.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 6.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$47,300–$99,150 10th–90th percentileOccupational Health and Safety Technicians$61,560 median wage30,590 U.S. jobs · SOC 19-5012+19.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$46,280–$100,160 10th–90th percentileEnvironmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians$59,920 median wage12,190 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-3025+3.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$39,910–$96,660 10th–90th percentileInspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570 median wage597,370 U.S. jobs · SOC 51-9061+2.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 66.7k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$35,510–$77,860 10th–90th percentileNO MATCHUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 99-9999
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Big Rapids, MI | $85,477 | $22,750 | Baseline needed | $8,624 |
| 2 | Columbia Southern UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Orange Beach, AL | $84,636 | $16,426 | Baseline needed | $14,580 |
| 3 | Ogden-Weber Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Ogden, UT | $61,605 | Not available | Baseline needed | $3,229 |
| 4 | Ocean CorporationUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Houston, TX | $56,587 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $32,280 |
| 5 | Spartan College of Aeronautics and TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Tulsa, OK | $54,749 | $15,200 | Baseline needed | $29,776 |
| 6 | Ashland Community and Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Ashland, KY | Not available | $10,500 | Baseline needed | $5,717 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.