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The differences between principal quality engineers and quality supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a principal quality engineer, becoming a quality supervisor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal quality engineer has an average salary of $103,677, which is higher than the $60,486 average annual salary of a quality supervisor.
The top three skills for a principal quality engineer include sigma, corrective action and ISO. The most important skills for a quality supervisor are continuous improvement, ISO, and corrective action.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $103,677 | $60,486 |
| Hourly rate | $49.84 | $29.08 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 120,965 | 61,400 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 supervisor is an individual who manages and implements the quality assurance and control systems of a company to ensure the proper execution of products and customer satisfaction. Quality supervisors oversee a team of quality control analysts and train them on the latest product standards. They must make sure that customers are pleased with the finished product by communicating with them and setting realistic expectations. Quality supervisors must also provide reports on quality metrics to the other members of the management team.
Principal quality engineers and quality supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $103,677 | $60,486 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $133,000 | Between $43,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Palo Alto Networks | Intuitive Surgical |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a principal quality engineer and a quality supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between principal quality engineers' and quality supervisors' demographics:
| Principal Quality Engineer | Quality Supervisor | |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4% |
| 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, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 8% |