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The differences between principal quality engineers and quality assurance leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a principal quality engineer and a quality assurance lead. Additionally, a principal quality engineer has an average salary of $103,677, which is higher than the $94,758 average annual salary of a quality assurance lead.
The top three skills for a principal quality engineer include sigma, corrective action and ISO. The most important skills for a quality assurance lead are QA, test cases, and test plan.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $103,677 | $94,758 |
| Hourly rate | $49.84 | $45.56 |
| Growth rate | 10% | - |
| Number of jobs | 120,965 | 82,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Principal quality engineers are engineering professionals who are responsible for providing quality engineering support and technical guidance to help the quality activities of a project. They are required to supervise the quality management system to monitor the progress of projects and ensure their timely deliveries. They must provide quality assurance (QA) solutions while evaluating the efficiency of their existing QA processes. Principal quality engineers must also identify technical risks and challenges by suggesting corrective actions and QA process improvements.
A quality assurance lead, also known as QA Lead, is responsible for conducting necessary quality tests and analyses for software program and development. As a quality assurance lead, they must take the lead in ensuring quality during development by proactively performing critical evaluations, troubleshooting, and providing precise documentation. It is also essential to identify issues and resolve them as soon as possible. Furthermore, a quality assurance lead must maintain an active line of communication and coordination as most of the work will be in a team setting.
Principal quality engineers and quality assurance leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average salary | $103,677 | $94,758 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $133,000 | Between $72,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Palo Alto Networks | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between a principal quality engineer and a quality assurance lead in terms of educational background:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | New York University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between principal quality engineers' and quality assurance leads' demographics:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.4% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 4% | 11% |