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The differences between associate directors, quality assurance and quality control 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 control manager. Additionally, an associate director, quality assurance has an average salary of $131,112, which is higher than the $87,679 average annual salary of a quality control manager.
The top three skills for an associate director, quality assurance include qa management, FDA and GMP. The most important skills for a quality control manager are product quality, quality procedures, and OSHA.
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Control Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $131,112 | $87,679 |
| Hourly rate | $63.03 | $42.15 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 67,521 | 82,389 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| 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 control manager is responsible for checking the quality of products and materials, especially for release and delivery, ensuring that the items are free of any defects. Quality control managers coordinate with other organization heads to develop effective processes to maintain and improve the products' efficiency, following the regulatory procedures and standard protocols. They monitor production, identify areas of improvement, inspect the finished products, and adjust product development techniques based on the client's specifications. A quality control manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the production team and address concerns immediately.
Associate directors, quality assurance and quality control managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Control Manager | |
| Average salary | $131,112 | $87,679 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $183,000 | Between $62,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Fall River, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Corcept Therapeutics | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an associate director, quality assurance and a quality control manager in terms of educational background:
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Control Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between associate directors, quality assurance' and quality control managers' demographics:
| Associate Director, Quality Assurance | Quality Control Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.8% Female, 40.2% | Male, 76.1% Female, 23.9% |
| 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, 13.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |