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The differences between product development technicians and quality control technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a product development technician, becoming a quality control technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a product development technician has an average salary of $82,950, which is higher than the $40,337 average annual salary of a quality control technician.
The top three skills for a product development technician include R, product development and lab equipment. The most important skills for a quality control technician are lab equipment, quality control tests, and test results.
| Product Development Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $82,950 | $40,337 |
| Hourly rate | $39.88 | $19.39 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 131,939 | 98,407 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Product development technicians are responsible for expanding and providing improvement to new products and implementing appropriate tests. They help grow a team framework for the organization. Their duties include arranging oral and written reports for each product development projects and examine their performance. Also, they preserve a clean and neat laboratory area and make sure of the viability of all equipment. Additionally, they create drafts for each product and work instructions documents, as well as install and examine all test equipment for modification.
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.
Product development technicians and quality control technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Development Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Average salary | $82,950 | $40,337 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $111,000 | Between $31,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Austin, TX | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Texas | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a product development technician and a quality control technician in terms of educational background:
| Product Development Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between product development technicians' and quality control technicians' demographics:
| Product Development Technician | Quality Control Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.5% Female, 32.5% | Male, 63.1% Female, 36.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 8% | 6% |