Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Other.

Degree Overview

Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Other (CIP 15.0799) is a specialized engineering technology field dedicated to the technical oversight of product integrity and workplace protection. While a general inspector might look for obvious flaws, professionals in this "Other" category use high-precision instruments, data science, and advanced testing protocols to ensure that critical components—from aircraft wings to pharmaceutical batches—are flawless and that the environments they are built in are risk-free. It is a path for "technical sentinels" who act as the final line of defense against system failures.

This field is ideal for "meticulous skeptics"—individuals who believe everything should be measured twice and verified three times to prevent catastrophes and ensure consumer trust.

What Is a Quality Control and Safety Technology Degree?

A degree in this category is an applied STEM path that emphasizes metrology, failure analysis, and regulatory compliance. You will study the physical properties of materials and the logic of industrial systems, but your focus will be on the "Science of Prevention." Because this code often houses niche or emerging specialties, your studies might focus on Nuclear Safety, Biomedical Quality Auditing, or Advanced Aerospace Nondestructive Testing (NDT). It prepares you to be the expert who proves that a product is safe and that a factory is following every legal safety requirement.

Schools offer this degree to:

• Train "Verification Experts" who use lasers and X-rays to find microscopic defects in metal and composites
• Develop experts in Safety Engineering, designing physical safeguards for robotic and high-voltage environments
• Prepare professionals for Regulatory Affairs, ensuring a company meets strict ISO, FDA, or FAA standards
• Study Reliability Engineering, calculating exactly how long a part will last before it potentially breaks

What Will You Learn?

Students learn that "safety" and "quality" are not just feelings—they are mathematical certainties achieved through rigorous testing and data analysis.

Core Skills You’ll Build

Most students learn to:

• Master Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM)—using robotic probes to measure parts to within a fraction of a human hair
• Use "Nondestructive Evaluation" (NDE) tools like ultrasound, eddy current, and radiography
• Design Root Cause Analysis workflows to determine exactly why a part failed in the field
• Perform Statistical Process Control (SPC) to detect when a manufacturing process is drifting out of spec
• Utilize Occupational Hygiene tools to measure noise, radiation, and chemical exposure in a plant
• Understand Risk Assessment Frameworks—quantifying the probability and impact of potential accidents

Topics You May Explore

Coursework is a blend of physics, industrial psychology, and data science:

• Metrology: The science of measurement and the calibration of precision instruments.
• Industrial Toxicology: Learning how different chemicals affect the human body and how to contain them.
• Materials Testing: The study of tensile strength, hardness, and fatigue in metals and plastics.
• Quality Management Systems: Studying global standards like ISO 9001 and AS9100 (Aerospace).
• Human Factors Engineering: Designing machines and tools that match human physical and cognitive limits to prevent "pilot error."
• Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Law: Navigating the complex web of OSHA and EPA regulations.

What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?

Graduates find roles as high-level inspectors, safety leads, and quality analysts across all technical sectors.

Common job roles include:

• Quality Control Technologist: Leading the lab that tests and certifies the output of a production line.
• Safety Engineer: Designing the protocols and hardware that keep workers safe in dangerous environments.
• NDT Inspector: Using high-tech imaging to check the structural integrity of bridges, planes, or pipelines.
• Reliability Analyst: Testing products until they break to find their limits and improve design.
• Supplier Quality Lead: Traveling to other companies to ensure the parts they sell to your firm meet your standards.
• Industrial Hygienist: Managing the technical monitoring of air, light, and sound levels in a factory.

Where Can You Work?

These specialists are the "gatekeepers" of industry:

• Aerospace and Defense: Ensuring that every bolt and wing on a Boeing plane or SpaceX rocket is perfect.
• Energy and Utilities: Working at nuclear power plants or on offshore oil rigs where safety is the #1 priority.
• Medical Device Manufacturing: Ensuring that pacemakers and surgical tools are sterile and functional.
• Automotive Industry: Managing the crash-testing and safety certification of new vehicles.
• Federal Agencies: Working for the NTSB, FAA, or OSHA as a crash investigator or inspector.

How Much Can You Earn?

Because a failure in safety or quality can lead to multi-million dollar lawsuits or loss of life, companies are willing to pay a premium for certified experts.

• Quality/Safety Engineers: Median annual salary of approximately $85,000–$115,000.
• Senior Compliance Managers: Salaries typically range from $105,000 to $145,000+.
• Reliability Specialists: Median annual salary of around $90,000–$125,000.
• Entry-Level Technicians: Often start between $62,000 and $78,000.

Is This Degree Hard?

The difficulty is in the extreme attention to detail. You must be proficient in Statistics and Physics. It requires a disciplined and ethical mindset—you are often the one who has to tell a production manager to shut down a line because a part is 0.001mm off, even if it delays a shipment. It requires the ability to stay focused during repetitive but critical testing and the communication skills to present data-driven findings to executives. It is a very hands-on major that involves extensive use of laboratory and field-testing equipment.

Who Should Consider This Degree?

This degree may be a good fit if you:

• Are the person who notices the tiny mistake in a movie or the loose screw on a machine
• Have a strong moral compass and care about protecting people and the environment
• Enjoy "detective work"—finding the hidden reason why something isn't working right
• Want a career where your work has a direct, tangible impact on public safety
• Enjoy working with high-tech sensors, cameras, and measurement tools

How to Prepare in High School

• Take Algebra and Statistics; you will spend your life analyzing data distributions
• Take Physics; understanding forces and material properties is essential for failure analysis
• Join a robotics or debate team; both require logical evidence-based thinking
• Practice Technical Documentation; being able to write clear, honest reports is a core job requirement
• Read about "Famous Engineering Failures" (like the Challenger or the Hyatt Regency walkway) to see why this job exists

The ability to apply rigorous technical standards and analytical logic to ensure the absolute safety and quality of the world's most critical systems is the hallmark of a successful professional in this field.