Home Schools Grand Valley State University Quality Control & Safety Technology
Engineering Technology · Quality Control & Safety Technology Rank #11 of 21

Quality Control & Safety Technologyat Grand Valley State University

Graduates earn $58,781/yr in their first year — about 8.0% below the national Quality Control & Safety Technology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $713K; scenarios range from $638K to $729K depending on AI disruption.

Allendale, MI Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
66 SOLID
66
Optimistic
63
Pessimistic
Earnings
$58,781
1-year post-graduation
ROI
13.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$713K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
40% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Grand Valley State University

At $58,781/yr, Quality Control & Safety Technology graduates from Grand Valley State University land near the $63,917 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

With a 12.2x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 12% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Quality Control & Safety Technology career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

The median debt load of $28,894 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

A #11 ranking among 21 Quality Control & Safety Technology programs places Grand Valley State University in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

A 44% earnings increase from $58,781 to $84,815 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$638K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score63/100
Earnings Multiple10.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$713K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple12.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$729K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple12.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Grand Valley 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 Grand Valley 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 Grand Valley State University

Other top programs at Grand Valley State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Grand Valley 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 Grand Valley State University

What does a 66/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Quality Control & Safety Technology at Grand Valley State University?

At 66/100, the score looks reasonable — but Quality Control & Safety Technology is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Quality Control & Safety Technology at Grand Valley 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.