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The differences between associate directors, quality assurance and quality assurance managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an associate director, quality assurance and a quality assurance manager. Additionally, an associate director, quality assurance has an average salary of $131,112, which is higher than the $99,894 average annual salary of a quality assurance manager.
The top three skills for an associate director, quality assurance include qa management, FDA and GMP. The most important skills for a quality assurance manager are continuous improvement, product quality, and corrective action.
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $131,112 | $99,894 |
| Hourly rate | $63.03 | $48.03 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 67,521 | 62,293 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Quality analysts act as problem solvers and testers of products or services in the production phase. They are responsible for the development and support of testing, process planning, design, and execution. These professionals need to have skills such as good communication skills, logic and reasoning, information technology skills, and a creative mindset. They should also be equipped with knowledge about the testing techniques. A computer science bachelor's degree or any of its associated fields is necessary to become a quality analyst.
A Quality Assurance Manager's responsibility varies on the organization or industry where one is assigned. Most of the time, the duties will revolve around quality control, such as overseeing a company's manufacturing operations, ensuring that the process followed all of the necessary protocols, and the products met all of the standards in adherence to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, one must be able to detect and identify mistakes, conduct constant inspections, coordinate with various staff and supervisors, develop the workforce's quality by training employees, and come up with strategies that will help the company attain financial gains.
Associate directors, quality assurance and quality assurance managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Average salary | $131,112 | $99,894 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $183,000 | Between $70,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Corcept Therapeutics | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between an associate director, quality assurance and a quality assurance manager in terms of educational background:
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between associate directors, quality assurance' and quality assurance managers' demographics:
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2% | Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 9.1% White, 69.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |