Quality associate vs certified medical technician

The differences between quality associates and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality associate has an average salary of $50,300, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a quality associate include patients, QA and quality system. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Quality associate vs certified medical technician overview

	Quality Associate	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$50,300	$38,859
Hourly rate	$24.18	$18.68
Growth rate	3%	5%
Number of jobs	60,168	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	38	44
Years of experience	-	12

What does a quality associate do?

A quality associate is responsible for ensuring that a new product meets standards for usage and operating. You will perform various tasks that include assisting in identifying quality problems and improving operational processes, writing, disseminating, and maintaining quality documentation and manuals, and verifying logs and databases to monitor and flag quality issues and improvements. In addition, you are responsible for supporting document control and quality audits, reviewing reports and validation protocols, and investigating and diagnosing quality complaints.

What does a certified medical technician do?

Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.

Quality associate vs certified medical technician salary

Quality associates and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Quality Associate	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$50,300	$38,859
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $80,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Alaska
Best paying company	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between quality associate and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a quality associate and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Quality Associate	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	Stanford University	University of Connecticut

Quality associate vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between quality associates' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Quality Associate	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	38	44
Gender ratio	Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 11.6% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between quality associate and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Quality associate example responsibilities.

Manage document control including initiating and revising procedures, QA approval and implementation of documents.
Participate in all regulatory, corporate and internal audit activities to include FDA, DEA, OSHA and ISO.
Create slideshow for meeting with PowerPoint.
Maintain all quality documents including PPAP, FMEA, etc.
Provide management with update PowerPoint graphs monthly, quarterly and yearly.
Chart review for compliance for local policies, TJC and CMS.

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.

Quality associate vs certified medical technician skills

Common quality associate skills

Patients, 10%
QA, 5%
Quality System, 5%
Quality Specifications, 5%
Product Quality, 4%
Customer Service, 4%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

Quality Associate vs. similar jobs

Quality Associate related careers

Quality Associate related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Life, Physical, and Social Science Industry
Quality Associate
Quality Associate vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs