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Engineering Technology · Quality Control & Safety Technology Rank #10 of 21

Quality Control & Safety Technologyat Fairmont State University

Graduates earn $48,423/yr in their first year — about 24.0% below the national Quality Control & Safety Technology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $875K; scenarios range from $765K to $902K depending on AI disruption.

Fairmont, WV Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
68 SOLID
69
Optimistic
66
Pessimistic
Earnings
$48,423
1-year post-graduation
ROI
28.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$875K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Fairmont State University

While Fairmont State's program stands out nationally for its quality, the earnings reflect the specific regional labor market in West Virginia. Here, technician roles in industries like manufacturing, energy, and construction often command salaries influenced by local economic conditions, even as demand for safety and quality expertise remains steady. Your career will likely involve ensuring compliance and implementing safety protocols in these hands-on operational environments, with regional companies being primary employers. The noted AI risk highlights that many routine monitoring and data collection tasks within quality control and safety are increasingly susceptible to automation. To maximize your long-term prospects, focus on developing critical thinking, adaptability to new technologies, and strong interpersonal communication skills, which are harder to automate.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$765K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple22.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$875K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple25.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$902K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple26.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Fairmont State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Quality Control & Safety Technology graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Occupational health and safety specialists
+12.5% 10-yr growth · 14,900 openings/yr
$83,910/yr
Moderate
2
Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
+1.7% 10-yr growth · 6,300 openings/yr
$64,790/yr
Moderate
3
Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$58,890/yr
Moderate
4
Occupational health and safety technicians
+8.5% 10-yr growth · 3,400 openings/yr
$58,440/yr
Moderate
5
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
0.0% 10-yr growth · 69,900 openings/yr
$47,460/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Quality Control & Safety Technology

How Fairmont State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Columbia Southern University
AL · Private for-profit
75
DW Score
$79K
1-yr earn
38.5x
ROI
Central Washington University
WA · Public
74
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
24.2x
ROI
Eastern Kentucky University
KY · Public
72
DW Score
$71K
1-yr earn
21.6x
ROI
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
WI · Public
71
DW Score
$70K
1-yr earn
23.1x
ROI
Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus
PA · Public
69
DW Score
$69K
1-yr earn
17.0x
ROI
Also at Fairmont State University

Other top programs at Fairmont State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Fairmont State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Quality Control & Safety Technology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Quality Control & Safety Technology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Quality Control & Safety Technology at Fairmont State University

What does a 68/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Quality Control & Safety Technology at Fairmont State University?

At 68/100, Fairmont State University's Quality Control & Safety Technology program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.

Should I worry about AI if I study Quality Control & Safety Technology at Fairmont State University?

The 39% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

Is Fairmont State University a good choice for Quality Control & Safety Technology despite lower starting pay?

Starting salary is one data point. If Fairmont State University's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.