Montana Tech Ranked No. 2 Among Best Value Occupational Safety Degree Programs

Montana Tech has been ranked among the 20 best value occupational safety degree programs by College Values Online. The ranking was published on the organization's website in November.

The university landed in the No. 2 spot behind Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott.

For this ranking, points were awarded based on four categories: 

• Tuition; 
• 20-year average net return on investment (ROI); 
• Number of students receiving financial aid; and 
• Number of minors, concentrations, or areas of emphasis offered by the school.
• Tuition, financial aid, and average ROI data was provided by the National Center for Education Statistics' College Navigator database.

"This ranking is a testament to the highly qualified and dedicated OSH faculty we have at Montana Tech," said Montana Tech Chancellor Don Blackketter. "This recognizes the quality education we provide, and I want to thank our faculty and staff for providing a top-notch educational experience for our students."

“As one of the oldest occupational safety and health degree programs in the nation, we are proud to receive this accolade,” noted Dr. Julie Hart, Professor and Department Chair of the Safety, Health and Industrial Hygiene Department at Montana Tech. “Through the hard work of our highly qualified faculty, we continually strive to provide the best educational opportunities for our students.  The continued success of our occupational safety and health graduates reflects well on the Safety, Health and Industrial Hygiene Department and Montana Tech.”  

Graduates of the occupational safety and health degree program at Montana Tech have worked in fields as diverse as mining, insurance, petroleum, consulting, and government. The school's career services office found that between 2006 and 2011, more than 94 percent of graduates found employment with starting salaries up to $57,722 per year. Montana Tech's Occupational Safety and Health degree in is accredited by ABET. In addition, the program offers an additional degree in Applied Health and Safety Sciences. 

“This ranking demonstrates the strength of our program and the accomplishments of our graduates to achieve a safer and healthier workplace,” noted Dr. Pete Knudsen, Dean of the School of Mines & Engineering.

With many companies taking more of an interest in employee health, an occupational safety and health graduate with the ability to evaluate employee lifestyles, health habits, and fitness levels is likely to be more competitive in the job market. Read more about the program at the following link: http://www.mtech.edu/academics/mines/shih/BS_OSH.asp

College Values Online offers practical guidance rooted in careful research and informed by over 20 years of experience in college selection. The site delivers school and program rankings, feature articles on the college experience, and career information, as well as a reference section. Researchers interact with multiple data sources like College Navigator, Forbes, Kiplinger, US News & World Report, and Princeton Review. Read the full article at the following link: http://www.collegevaluesonline.com/rankings/occupational-safety-degree-programs/.