Environmental Control Technologies at Iowa State University
Ames, IA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
70
Optimistic
71
Base Case
70
Pessimistic
Earnings
$63,707/yr (26% vs median)
AI Risk
Moderate (24% exposed)
Job Market
Large (68,200 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Environmental Control Technologies graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $730K | $635K | $553K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 17.4x | 15.1x | 13.2x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.6x | 5.7x | 5.0x |
| Viable Career Paths | 6 of 6 | 6 of 6 | 6 of 6 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 70 | 71 | 70 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$41,988
Out-of-state: $110,732
Career Paths
Where Environmental Control Technologies graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 68,200 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other | $77,390 | 5,700 | +1.5% | 24% |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $59,810 | 40,100 | +8.1% | 11% |
| Environmental engineering technologists and technicians | $58,890 | 1,100 | +1.2% | 41% |
| Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators | $58,260 | 10,700 | -6.5% | 12% |
| Environmental science and protection technicians, including health | $49,490 | 5,600 | +4.0% | 46% |
| Hazardous materials removal workers | $48,490 | 5,000 | +1.0% | 8% |
Compare & Explore
Environmental Control Technologies at Other Schools
Other Majors at Iowa State University
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Environmental Control Technologies at Iowa State University?
This program scores 71/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 70 (optimistic) to 70 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Environmental Control Technologies career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Environmental Control Technologies graduates retain 6 of 6 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $552,722 (pessimistic) to $730,329 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Environmental Control Technologies graduates?
The career paths mapped to Environmental Control Technologies have roughly 68,200 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Environmental Control Technologies at Iowa State University worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 15.1x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 13.2x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.