by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, quality control technology/technician was the 851st most popular major nationwide with 440 degrees awarded. This represents a 2.3% reduction in quality control tech degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 450.
Our 2023 Best Quality Control Technology Schools ranking analyzes 6 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for quality control technology/technician students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of quality control tech programs later in this article.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance is a required skill for quality control tech majors. Required skills include 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 and using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most quality control tech degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic quality control technology/technician program qualifications, to serve in some quality control tech careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of quality control tech degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in quality control technology/technician to something that takes less time like a . Quality Control Technology programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to quality control tech, with approximately 9.6% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to quality control tech tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 52.2% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 14.3% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 14.0% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 9.6% |
| Some College Courses | 7.2% |
The chart below shows what degree level those who work in quality control technology/technician have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the quality control tech career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your quality control tech degree?
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to quality control technology/technician.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 465,200 | -10.7% |
As you might expect, salaries for quality control tech graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for quality control technology/technician graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers quality control tech grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $42,010 |
With over 86 different quality control tech degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased quality control tech school rankings to help you with this.
One of 4 majors within the Quality Control Technology area of study, Quality Control Technology has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Occupational Safety & Health Technology | 3,008 |
| Industrial Safety Technology | 274 |
| Other Quality Control & Safety Technologies | 102 |
Image Credit: By Gina Collecchia under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
