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The differences between product quality managers and quality assurance managers 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 manager. Additionally, a product quality manager has an average salary of $117,932, which is higher than the $99,894 average annual salary of a quality assurance 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 manager are continuous improvement, product quality, and corrective action.
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $117,932 | $99,894 |
| Hourly rate | $56.70 | $48.03 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 145,282 | 62,293 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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.
A Quality Assurance Manager's responsibility varies on the organization or industry where one is assigned. Most of the time, the duties will revolve around quality control, such as overseeing a company's manufacturing operations, ensuring that the process followed all of the necessary protocols, and the products met all of the standards in adherence to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, one must be able to detect and identify mistakes, conduct constant inspections, coordinate with various staff and supervisors, develop the workforce's quality by training employees, and come up with strategies that will help the company attain financial gains.
Product quality managers and quality assurance managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Average salary | $117,932 | $99,894 |
| Salary range | Between $81,000 And $169,000 | Between $70,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a product quality manager and a quality assurance manager in terms of educational background:
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between product quality managers' and quality assurance managers' demographics:
| Product Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.6% Female, 21.4% | Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9% |
| 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, 13.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |