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The differences between associate testers and quality assurance specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an associate tester and a quality assurance specialist. Additionally, an associate tester has an average salary of $74,863, which is higher than the $63,443 average annual salary of a quality assurance specialist.
The top three skills for an associate tester include test results, test data and java. The most important skills for a quality assurance specialist are GMP, patients, and FDA.
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $74,863 | $63,443 |
| Hourly rate | $35.99 | $30.50 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 35,159 | 83,505 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An associate tester is in charge of performing quality assurance tests on materials, ensuring the quality adheres to the company's standards and regulations. In the information technology industry, it is their duty to develop software test structures, maintain records of all results, gather and analyze data, review documents, troubleshoot issues, and prepare comprehensive reports according to the company's protocols. Furthermore, an associate tester must maintain an active communication line with teams, coordinating for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A quality assurance specialist is an individual who is responsible for monitoring, inspecting, and proposing measures to correct and improve a company's product. Quality assurance specialists need to outline quality assurance policies and procedures, making sure that quality standards are assured. It is important that a quality assurance specialist should have strong attention to detail and is excellent in data collection. This work may require a minimum of bachelor's degree and certification to get certified.
Associate testers and quality assurance specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Specialist | |
| Average salary | $74,863 | $63,443 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $102,000 | Between $41,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Morgan Stanley | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an associate tester and a quality assurance specialist in terms of educational background:
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between associate testers' and quality assurance specialists' demographics:
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.4% Female, 32.6% | Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |