Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 20 reporting college programs.
+$161,242 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
Observed national outcomes
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.
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Central Washington University$97,8692Columbia Southern University$94,4803Eastern Kentucky University$92,2894Millersville University of Pennsylvania$91,7425Jacksonville State University$90,8506Indiana University of Pennsylvania$90,2577Keene State College$87,7108Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania$84,7839University of Central Missouri$84,73810Murray State University$84,705Observed 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.
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 | Central Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ellensburg, WA | $97,869 | $25,833 | +108% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Columbia Southern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Orange Beach, AL | $94,480 | $28,415 | +108% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Eastern Kentucky UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, KY | $92,289 | $34,786 | +111% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Millersville University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Millersville, PA | $91,742 | $25,375 | +78% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Jacksonville State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, AL | $90,850 | $23,709 | +93% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Indiana University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Indiana, PA | $90,257 | $26,288 | +83% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Keene State CollegeBachelor's Degree | Keene, NH | $87,710 | $26,000 | +70% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Slippery Rock, PA | $84,783 | $25,000 | +54% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | University of Central MissouriBachelor's Degree | Warrensburg, MO | $84,738 | $27,000 | +67% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | Murray State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Murray, KY | $84,705 | $25,000 | +83% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Waldorf UniversityBachelor's Degree | Forest City, IA | $83,151 | $23,047 | +47% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | Southeastern Louisiana UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hammond, LA | $83,039 | $23,455 | +64% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | Indiana State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Terre Haute, IN | $82,303 | Not available | +67% | Positive payoff |
| 14 | University of Wisconsin-WhitewaterBachelor's Degree | Whitewater, WI | $81,385 | $24,384 | +54% | Positive payoff |
| 15 | Grand Valley State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Allendale, MI | $80,398 | $29,000 | +44% | Positive payoff |
| 16 | Fairmont State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairmont, WV | $74,806 | $26,307 | +38% | Positive payoff |
| 17 | Northeastern State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Tahlequah, OK | $69,276 | $21,189 | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 18 | Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Durant, OK | $66,785 | $23,779 | +3% | Positive payoff |
| 19 | University of Houston-DowntownBachelor's Degree | Houston, TX | $58,535 | $37,784 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Marshall UniversityBachelor's Degree | Huntington, WV | Not available | $26,750 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $7,502 |
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.