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The differences between product quality managers and quality assurance directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a product quality manager and a quality assurance director. Additionally, a quality assurance director has an average salary of $140,937, which is higher than the $117,932 average annual salary of a product quality manager.
The top three skills for a product quality manager include continuous improvement, data analysis and project management. The most important skills for a quality assurance director are continuous improvement, quality standards, and oversight.
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Yearly salary | $117,932 | $140,937 |
| Hourly rate | $56.70 | $67.76 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 145,282 | 66,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Product Quality Manager's job is to inspect the quality of products to ensure that they are built with compliance and meet customer expectations. They are thorough and observant of every detail of the product. Product Quality Manager's are responsible for understanding the customer's needs to develop effective quality control processes. They also devise and review the specs of the processes or product, set requirements for intermediate products for monitor compliances. They also ensure adherence to health and safety guidelines.
The job of a quality assurance (QA) director is to oversee all QA functions across the company. Your duties typically include working closely with other department heads to deliver high-quality products on time, hiring managers and analysts, and establishing and maintaining a quality system to make sure that company guidelines and regulatory standards are met. Additionally, you will be responsible for ensuring quality by monitoring, appraising job results, and planning. You are also expected to maintain technical and professional knowledge by reviewing professional publications, participating in professional associations, and attending workshops.
Product quality managers and quality assurance directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Average salary | $117,932 | $140,937 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $169,000 | Between $97,000 And $203,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apple | Upstart Network |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between a product quality manager and a quality assurance director in terms of educational background:
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between product quality managers' and quality assurance directors' demographics:
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 9.1% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |