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The differences between continuous improvement engineers and quality control engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a continuous improvement engineer and a quality control engineer. Additionally, a continuous improvement engineer has an average salary of $78,918, which is higher than the $70,845 average annual salary of a quality control engineer.
The top three skills for a continuous improvement engineer include lean manufacturing, lean six sigma and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a quality control engineer are product quality, quality standards, and corrective action.
| Continuous Improvement Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,918 | $70,845 |
| Hourly rate | $37.94 | $34.06 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 42,411 | 109,745 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The duties of a continuous improvement engineer depend on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around developing systems to improve existing products or operations, coordinating with different teams to gather data, performing research and analysis, identifying areas needing improvement, and implementing new processes and systems. They may also address inquiries and concerns, responding to issues promptly and effectively. Furthermore, as a continuous improvement engineer, it is essential to build production systems in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
A quality control engineer is responsible for conducting quality assessments for the company's products and services to ensure adherence to federal regulations and quality standards. Quality control engineers recommend strategic methods by analyzing processes and writing test results. They also identify opportunities for more services that meet public demands and market trends, helping the business generate more resources for revenues. A quality control engineer utilizes various software tools and applications to document findings, requiring them to have excellent communication and technical skills.
Continuous improvement engineers and quality control engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Continuous Improvement Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Average salary | $78,918 | $70,845 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $103,000 | Between $53,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Woodland, CA | San Rafael, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Meta | Intuitive Surgical |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a continuous improvement engineer and a quality control engineer in terms of educational background:
| Continuous Improvement Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Industrial Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between continuous improvement engineers' and quality control engineers' demographics:
| Continuous Improvement Engineer | Quality Control Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 11.9% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |