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Quality assurance associate vs quality specialist

The differences between quality assurance associates and quality specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality specialist has an average salary of $65,230, which is higher than the $61,473 average annual salary of a quality assurance associate.

The top three skills for a quality assurance associate include excellent interpersonal, customer service and GMP. The most important skills for a quality specialist are customer service, data analysis, and continuous improvement.

Quality assurance associate vs quality specialist overview

Quality Assurance AssociateQuality Specialist
Yearly salary$61,473$65,230
Hourly rate$29.55$31.36
Growth rate3%10%
Number of jobs62,32480,316
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age4444
Years of experience4-

What does a quality assurance associate do?

A quality assurance associate's role is to oversee the production operations in a manufacturing plant or a similar setting, ensuring quality standards throughout the entire process. Most of the time, a quality assurance associate must perform workforce assessments, provide training to new employees, produce or approve documentation and progress reports, and collaborate with colleagues to ensure that everything is running smoothly and complies with the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, there are instances when one must address issues and concerns, providing them with the necessary corrective measures.

What does a quality specialist do?

Quality control senior scientists ensure that testing, materials, and laboratory equipment are up to standard. In the course of their career, they can expect to perform tests for the quality of manufacturing processes in order to ensure compliance with predetermined criteria, as well as ensuring that final products are safe for sale or distribution. This is a career that requires the skills of teamwork, communication, writing, and prioritization. Also, good attention to detail and some technical skills will be needed.

Quality assurance associate vs quality specialist salary

Quality assurance associates and quality specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Quality Assurance AssociateQuality Specialist
Average salary$61,473$65,230
Salary rangeBetween $44,000 And $84,000Between $43,000 And $98,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkCalifornia
Best paying companyCitiMeta
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalGovernment

Differences between quality assurance associate and quality specialist education

There are a few differences between a quality assurance associate and a quality specialist in terms of educational background:

Quality Assurance AssociateQuality Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common majorAccountingBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaWestern Carolina University

Quality assurance associate vs quality specialist demographics

Here are the differences between quality assurance associates' and quality specialists' demographics:

Quality Assurance AssociateQuality Specialist
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 48.3% Female, 51.7%Male, 44.7% Female, 55.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between quality assurance associate and quality specialist duties and responsibilities

Quality assurance associate example responsibilities.

  • Implement and manage the TrackWise QTS system to create, track and close action items.
  • Lead cross functional project team to build user-friendly windows base customer support applications which interface with the OmniPlan/OmniPlus mainframe application.
  • Review and facilitate documentation for the MRB process.
  • Revise production sheets for internal use and for the HACCP program.
  • Verify that SPC data is being correctly gather, record, and monitor.
  • Review and release batch records /control documents in a CGMP and ISO 9001 regulation.
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Quality specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage CMOs that provide Endo with API, bulk, packaging services, and/or finish goods, including clinical material.
  • Manage PPAP sample dimensional verification activities.
  • Recommend changes to organizational committee structure to achieve higher level of accountability and oversight.
  • Manage document control including initiating and revising procedures, QA approval and implementation of documents.
  • Manage performance improvement and quality improvement projects design to assess and improve health outcomes for Medicaid members.
  • Manage hospital core measures abstraction, registry abstractions and review services to assist healthcare organizations in improving performance.
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Quality assurance associate vs quality specialist skills

Common quality assurance associate skills
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 30%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • GMP, 5%
  • Quality System, 3%
  • FDA, 3%
  • PowerPoint, 3%
Common quality specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Continuous Improvement, 6%
  • Process Improvement, 5%
  • Management System, 5%
  • FDA, 5%

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