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The differences between automation leads and quality assurance consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an automation lead and a quality assurance consultant. Additionally, an automation lead has an average salary of $106,261, which is higher than the $86,486 average annual salary of a quality assurance consultant.
The top three skills for an automation lead include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a quality assurance consultant are QA, manual test cases, and regression.
| Automation Lead | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $106,261 | $86,486 |
| Hourly rate | $51.09 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 36,010 | 91,395 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An Automation Lead is primarily in charge of testing and operating automated machinery in manufacturing facilities. They typically work together with automation teams, adhere to guidelines and protocols, meet project requirements, and produce progress reports. There are also instances when an automation lead may participate in conceptualizing machinery, conducting research and analyses, and addressing issues and concerns. Moreover, an Automation Lead usually works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A quality assurance consultant specializes in recommending and optimizing quality-control procedures ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They typically conduct research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current quality control operations, implement solutions on problem areas, review policies and regulations, and coordinate with other staff to gather necessary data, analyzing them to find new opportunities for improvement. Furthermore, as a quality assurance consultant, it is essential to recommend solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its mission and vision.
Automation leads and quality assurance consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Lead | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Average salary | $106,261 | $86,486 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $137,000 | Between $67,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Southern California Edison | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between an automation lead and a quality assurance consultant in terms of educational background:
| Automation Lead | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between automation leads' and quality assurance consultants' demographics:
| Automation Lead | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% |
| 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% |