ROI Major

Quality Control and Safety Technologies at Southeastern Oklahoma State University

OK · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 15.07

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Quality Control and Safety Technologies degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University earn a median salary of $75,525 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OK, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $87,616. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.4 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$53,500

Typical Career

$75,525

Top Performers

$95,122

Estimated break-even: 5.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$504

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,294. Most students can comfortably afford about a $504 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Oklahoma buys what costs $0.86 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Educational Services, Public Administration, Health Care & Social Assistance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 25.2%
Public Administration 12.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance 11.5%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$87,616

Nominal: $75,525 in Oklahoma (COL 86.2% of national avg) · 16% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

5.4 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $39,547 $57,631 $73,034
5 Years After Graduation $53,500 $75,525 $95,122
10 Years After Graduation $62,818 $84,494 $112,807

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $75,525 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OK, which has a cost-of-living index of 86.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $75,525 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8620) = $87,616 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Quality Control and Safety Technologies program at Southeastern Oklahoma State University experience a promising earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $57,631, which increases to $75,525 after five years and reaches $84,494 by the ten-year mark. When considering purchasing power, the adjusted five-year salary reflects a national equivalent of $87,616.01, indicating that graduates maintain competitive earnings relative to the national average despite the cost of living in Oklahoma being lower than the national index.

The program prepares students for diverse career opportunities, with top industries including Educational Services (25.2%), Public Administration (12.9%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (11.5%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 5.4 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of solid earnings potential and diverse career pathways supports a positive outlook for graduates entering the workforce.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Quality Control and Safety Technologies degree at Southeastern Oklahoma State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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