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The differences between manufacturing test engineers and quality 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 manufacturing test engineer and a quality engineer. Additionally, a manufacturing test engineer has an average salary of $98,285, which is higher than the $79,672 average annual salary of a quality engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing test engineer include test equipment, labview and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a quality engineer are corrective action, continuous improvement, and ISO.
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,285 | $79,672 |
| Hourly rate | $47.25 | $38.30 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 64,188 | 96,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A manufacturing test engineer specializes in designing and developing test structures to ensure the quality of products according to the company's policies and standards. Their responsibilities include coordinating with the design team to determine test parameters, producing test documentation, troubleshooting, and performing quality assurance procedures. A manufacturing test engineer must also assess the existing test procedures to identify its strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions as needed. Furthermore, they may assist the quality assurance teams in conducting tests, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
A quality engineer's responsibilities include ensuring that the manufacturing processes are efficient and accurate, documenting findings that would raise concerns, conducting quality tests while observing parameters, and implementing changes as necessary to meet the highest quality standards. Quality engineers need to have excellent problem-solving and observation skills to detect any irregularities and possible malfunctions. They also must be able to communicate effectively with the clients for feedbacks and corrective adjustments, address complaints, and immediately resolve any inconsistencies made.
Manufacturing test engineers and quality engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,285 | $79,672 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $134,000 | Between $61,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing test engineer and a quality engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing test engineers' and quality engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Quality Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 13.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |