Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other.
Data details: Graduation rate, gender, ethnicity, and summary are for this specific degree (6-digit CIP) from IPEDS. Salary, debt, and related financial outcomes are based on the degree category (4-digit CIP) from the College Scorecard API. ← Back to search
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Debt to Income Ratio
Why Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. stands out: With a debt-to-income ratio of just 38.2%, graduates of this program typically enjoy manageable student loan payments compared to their first-year earnings. This low ratio means that, on average, students who complete Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. can expect to pay off their student debt faster and with less financial stress than most other fields. Programs with a DTI below 0.5 are considered excellent by financial experts, making this degree a smart investment for your future.
For example, with a median salary of $33682 and average student debt of $12872, the financial outlook for Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. graduates is especially strong in .
Key Insights
Wondering if Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. is right for you? This degree is designed for students who want both knowledge and practical experience. Most graduates see starting salaries near $33682, and the average student debt is $12872, with a debt-to-income ratio of 0.38—a strong position for financial independence.
With an annual graduating class of 8781 students, you’ll be part of a dynamic student body. Whether you’re looking for upward mobility, a chance to innovate, or a degree that’s respected in the job market, Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. delivers. Take advantage of every resource your school offers to maximize your success!
Degree Overview
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other (CIP 15.0599) is a specialized field focused on the technical management of air, water, and soil quality within industrial and urban environments. While a standard HVAC technician focuses on residential comfort, professionals in this "Other" category manage complex pollution control systems, hazardous waste containment, and large-scale industrial climate systems. It is a path for "environmental guardians" who use advanced sensors and mechanical systems to ensure that industrial progress does not come at the cost of public health or ecological safety.
This field is ideal for "conscientious operators"—individuals who enjoy high-tech monitoring and mechanical maintenance and want to play a direct role in corporate sustainability and regulatory compliance.
What Is an "Other" Environmental Control Technology Degree?
A degree in this category is an applied STEM path that emphasizes monitoring, instrumentation, and system maintenance. You will study the chemistry of pollutants and the physics of how fluids and gases move through industrial scrubbers and filters. Because this code covers "niche" specialties, your studies might focus on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) for hospitals, wastewater treatment for chemical plants, or carbon capture technology maintenance. It prepares you to be a technical expert who ensures that a facility’s "outputs" (smoke, water, waste) meet strict legal and environmental standards.
Schools offer this degree to:
- Train "Compliance Technicians" who monitor and report on industrial emissions
- Develop experts in Industrial Water Treatment, ensuring factory runoff is safe before it enters the ecosystem
- Prepare professionals for Hazardous Materials Management, focusing on the safe storage and transport of chemicals
- Study Advanced Building Automation, using "smart" systems to reduce the carbon footprint of massive structures
What Will You Learn?
Students learn that environmental protection is a technical challenge; by mastering sensors and mechanical controls, you can neutralize pollutants before they ever leave the building.
Core Skills You’ll Build
Most students learn to:
- Master Environmental Sampling—collecting and analyzing air, water, and soil for contaminants
- Use "Building Automation Systems" (BAS) to optimize energy use and air filtration in real-time
- Design Filtration and Scrubber Sequences to remove toxic particulates from industrial exhaust
- Perform Calibration of Sensors—ensuring that gas detectors and water quality probes are 100% accurate
- Utilize Regulatory Software to track a facility's compliance with EPA and OSHA standards
- Understand Emergency Response Protocols for containing chemical leaks or environmental spills
Topics You May Explore
Coursework is a blend of environmental science, chemistry, and mechanical systems:
- Atmospheric Science: Understanding how smoke and gases disperse and react in the air.
- Industrial Wastewater Management: The mechanical and biological processes used to clean factory water.
- Hazardous Waste Operations: Learning the legal and physical requirements for handling toxic materials.
- Hydraulics and Pneumatics: How pumps and fans move air and liquid through treatment systems.
- Microbiology for Technicians: Using "good" bacteria to break down organic pollutants in waste streams.
- Energy Auditing: Finding the "leaks" in a building's efficiency to reduce total environmental impact.
What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?
Graduates find roles as specialized technicians and compliance officers in the manufacturing, utility, and government sectors.
Common job roles include:
- Environmental Technician: Monitoring and maintaining the pollution control equipment at a power plant or factory.
- Wastewater Treatment Operator: Managing the complex systems that purify water for a city or industrial site.
- Air Quality Specialist: Testing indoor and outdoor environments for mold, chemicals, or particulates.
- Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Coordinator: Ensuring toxic chemicals are stored and disposed of correctly.
- Sustainability Technician: Implementing technical changes to reduce a company's waste and energy use.
- Health and Safety (EHS) Officer: Overseeing both worker safety and environmental protection for a corporation.
Where Can You Work?
These specialists are essential in any industry that has a "footprint" on the physical world:
- Manufacturing and Chemical Plants: Working for companies like Dow, 3M, or Ford to manage production waste.
- Energy Utilities: Maintaining the scrubbers and monitoring systems at coal, gas, or nuclear plants.
- Municipal Government: Working for city water and waste departments.
- Healthcare Facilities: Managing the highly specialized "Clean Room" and filtration systems in hospitals.
- Environmental Consulting Firms: Providing technical support for site cleanups and impact studies.
How Much Can You Earn?
Because of the legal risks involved in environmental non-compliance, companies pay well for technicians who can keep their systems running perfectly.
- Environmental Technicians: Median annual salary of approximately $55,000–$75,000.
- Wastewater/Industrial Plant Operators: Salaries typically range from $60,000 to $85,000+.
- EHS Managers/Coordinators: Median annual salary of around $85,000–$115,000.
- Entry-Level Junior Technicians: Often start between $45,000 and $55,000.
Is This Degree Hard?
The difficulty is in the scientific accuracy required. You must be proficient in Chemistry and Algebra. You are working with invisible variables—gases, chemicals, and bacteria—so you must trust your instruments and your logic. It requires a disciplined and ethical mindset; if a sensor says a factory is leaking toxins, you must have the integrity to report it and the skill to fix it. It is a very active major that involves a mix of lab work, computer monitoring, and heavy mechanical maintenance.
Who Should Consider This Degree?
This degree may be a good fit if you:
- Care about the environment but want a "hands-on" technical role rather than a political one
- Enjoy working with complex machines and high-tech sensors
- Are a "checklist person" who enjoys following strict procedures to ensure safety
- Want a career that is stable and essential—cities and factories will always need clean water and air
- Enjoy a mix of indoor laboratory work and outdoor system inspection
How to Prepare in High School
- Take Chemistry, Biology, and Algebra; they are the foundations of environmental control
- Join an environmental club or volunteer for a local "Stream Team" to learn about sampling
- Practice Data Documentation—learning to keep accurate, honest logs is a professional requirement
- Learn basic electronics; many pollution controls are run by sensors and digital boards
- Read about The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to understand the rules you will be enforcing
The ability to master the technical systems that monitor and mitigate industrial impact is the hallmark of a successful professional in the environmental control technology field.
Personality Fit (RIASEC Profile)
Official assessment tool by the U.S. Department of Labor