Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 6 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$113,448 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
5.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
+95%Modeled 10-year ROI
$68,349Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$68,349Median reported earnings · year 4
$73,009Average reported earnings · year 5
$16,710Median federal debt
85thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
6With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 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.
OPEN PROFILE
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$57,050National median$68,34975th percentile$71,592
6 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.
Find the colleges that fit your constraints
Keep this exact federal field and credential fixed, then narrow the reporting colleges by location, sector and federal debt.
6 matchesShowing up to 25 currently operating colleges
1Columbia Southern UniversityOrange Beach, AL · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$87,340Federal debt$16,710Annual net price$14,5802Southeast Community College AreaLincoln, NE · PublicYear-4 earnings$74,993Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$9,1713Waldorf UniversityForest City, IA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$71,592Federal debt$24,898Annual net price$19,6934Del Mar CollegeCorpus Christi, TX · PublicYear-4 earnings$65,106Federal debt$5,920Annual net price$3,3995Texas State Technical CollegeWaco, TX · PublicYear-4 earnings$57,050Federal debt$19,000Annual net price$13,5086Spartan College of Aeronautics and TechnologyTulsa, OK · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$48,533Federal debt$16,631Annual net price$29,776
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1Columbia Southern University$87,3402Southeast Community College Area$74,9933Waldorf University$71,5924Del Mar College$65,1065Texas State Technical College$57,0506Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology$48,533Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3026 · 2 crosswalk linksOccupational Health and Safety SpecialistsSOC 19-5011 · 2 crosswalk linksEnvironmental Engineering Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3025 · 1 crosswalk linksInspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersSOC 51-9061 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksOccupational Health and Safety TechniciansSOC 19-5012 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia Southern UniversityAssociate's Degree | Orange Beach, AL | $87,340 | $16,710 | +255% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Southeast Community College AreaAssociate's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $74,993 | Not available | +177% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Waldorf UniversityAssociate's Degree | Forest City, IA | $71,592 | $24,898 | +106% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Del Mar CollegeAssociate's Degree | Corpus Christi, TX | $65,106 | $5,920 | +108% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | $57,050 | $19,000 | +3% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Spartan College of Aeronautics and TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $48,533 | $16,631 | -76% | Negative payoff |
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.