Production inspector vs quality inspector

The differences between production inspectors and quality inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a production inspector has an average salary of $33,340, which is higher than the $33,197 average annual salary of a quality inspector.

The top three skills for a production inspector include production equipment, safety procedures and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a quality inspector are calipers, micrometers, and quality standards.

Production inspector vs quality inspector overview

	Production Inspector	Quality Inspector
Yearly salary	$33,340	$33,197
Hourly rate	$16.03	$15.96
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	68,181	70,978
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

Production inspector vs quality inspector salary

Production inspectors and quality inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Production Inspector	Quality Inspector
Average salary	$33,340	$33,197
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $42,000	Between $25,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Omaha, NE	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Washington
Best paying company	Rich Products	Nabors Industries
Best paying industry	Automotive	Health Care

Differences between production inspector and quality inspector education

There are a few differences between a production inspector and a quality inspector in terms of educational background:

	Production Inspector	Quality Inspector
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Production inspector vs quality inspector demographics

Here are the differences between production inspectors' and quality inspectors' demographics:

	Production Inspector	Quality Inspector
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%	Male, 53.5% Female, 46.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between production inspector and quality inspector duties and responsibilities

Production inspector example responsibilities.

Read blueprints, used calipers and rulers for measuring.
Follow strict FDA regulations with regard to GPM standards and safety.
Perform periodic reviews of the batch record throughout the production operation to ensure GMP compliance.
Copper tube units and inspect units.accomplishmentshelp troubleshoot units.Skills Usedbrazzing and troubleshooting
Perform visual external corrosion and internal erosion inspection utilizing NDT techniques on process piping and equipment during refinery turnarounds.
Promote and maintain a positive working relationship within MRB and other support organizations.

Quality inspector example responsibilities.

Task involve use of calipers, optical comparators, volt/ohm meters and curve tracer.
Utilize measuring instruments like calipers, gauges, and micrometers to assure product conformance to customers specifications.
Recycle ESD products as required.
Maintain logs of products as required per AS9100.
Document and inspect for ESD requirements and for proper handling of MSD moisture sensitive devices.
Perform surface plate set-ups, utilizing gage blocks, angle blocks, sine plates and bars.

Production inspector vs quality inspector skills

Common production inspector skills

Production Equipment, 10%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Customer Satisfaction, 8%
Calipers, 8%
Quality Standards, 7%
Circuit Boards, 6%

Common quality inspector skills

Calipers, 9%
Micrometers, 7%
Quality Standards, 6%
Quality Inspection, 6%
Inspection Results, 4%
CMM, 4%

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Production Inspector
Production Inspector vs Quality Inspector

Updated January 8, 2025

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