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Quality Control Technology Major

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Quality Control Technology

655 Master's Degrees Annually
3 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#137 in Popularity (Master's)
$54,800 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Quality Control Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many quality control technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 655
Graduate Certificate 78
Doctor’s Degree 3

What Quality Control Technology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, quality control tech majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Quality Control Tech Majors

Quality Control Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

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  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills for Quality Control Tech Majors

quality control tech majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities for Quality Control Tech Majors

As a quality control tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

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  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Quality Control Technology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with quality control tech:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Environmental Engineering Technicians 12.4% $50,560
Occupational Health and Safety Specialists 8.1% $73,020

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Quality Control Technology?

655 Master's Degrees Annually
35% Percent Women
27% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major attracts more men than women. About 65% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of quality control tech majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 16
Black or African American 91
Hispanic or Latino 47
White 335
International Students 11
Other Races/Ethnicities 155

Geographic Diversity

Quality Control Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 1.7% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • Saudi Arabia
  • Nigeria
  • India
  • China
  • Pakistan

How Much Do Quality Control Technology Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of quality control technology students with a master’s degree is $73,610 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $70,463 (25th percentile) and $80,675 (75th percentile).

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One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to quality control tech.

Salaries According to BLS

Quality Control Tech majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $42,010 to $74,940 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Quality Control Technology Major  ( 42010 to 74940 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with quality control tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to quality control tech have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 9.1%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 35.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 11.3%
Some College Courses 5.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 6.4%
Bachelor’s Degree 27.3%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 1.7%
Master’s Degree 3.4%

Online Quality Control Technology Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 170 schools offered some type of quality control technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 44 4
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 78 12
Bachelor’s Degree 23 8
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 25 9
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Quality Control Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a quality control tech grad is $54,800 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 37% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $298,000 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to quality control tech.

Major Number of Grads
Engineering-Related Fields 4,838
Industrial Production Technology 440
Engineering Technology (Other) 288
Construction Engineering Technology 264
General Engineering Technology 255
Computer Engineering Technology 179
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology 145
Mechanical Engineering Technology 104
Nanotechnology 98
Energy Systems Technologies 95
Environmental Control Technology 89
Electromechanical Engineering Technology 43
Architectural Engineering Technology 39
Electronics Engineering Technology 39
Engineering-Related Technologies 15
Nuclear Engineering Technology 0

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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