Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between formulation technicians and quality control technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a formulation technician, becoming a quality control technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a formulation technician has an average salary of $48,107, which is higher than the $40,337 average annual salary of a quality control technician.
The top three skills for a formulation technician include lean manufacturing, FDA and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a quality control technician are lab equipment, quality control tests, and test results.
| Formulation Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,107 | $40,337 |
| Hourly rate | $23.13 | $19.39 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,585 | 98,407 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Formulation Technicians are responsible for preparing and testing formulations samples to meet the research and development goals. Their duties include preparing samples for different formulations, undertaking pilot production studies, assessing storage stability, conducting physical property measuring, and performing chemical and physical formulation assessments. They facilitate global sampling, maintain an accurate record of study data, and participate in team meetings. Formulation Technicians also ensure that laboratory resources are up to acceptable standards and work is done to follow best practices, safety standards, and documented procedures.
Usually assigned in a manufacturing plant, a quality control technician's role focuses on testing and assessing materials before, after, and during a production process to ensure its efficiency. They also have responsibilities in implementing the policies and regulations of the company, all to maintain a safe and productive working environment for every employee. Furthermore, a quality control technician must produce necessary reports and documentation, coordinate with managers and supervisors, maintain accurate documentation, and oversee a team to secure quality standard outcomes.
Formulation technicians and quality control technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,107 | $40,337 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $75,000 | Between $31,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rockville, MD | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Boehringer Ingelheim | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a formulation technician and a quality control technician in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between formulation technicians' and quality control technicians' demographics:
| Formulation Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% | Male, 63.1% Female, 36.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 9.4% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |