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The differences between quality assurance consultants and associate consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a quality assurance consultant and an associate consultant. Additionally, a quality assurance consultant has an average salary of $86,486, which is higher than the $73,340 average annual salary of an associate consultant.
The top three skills for a quality assurance consultant include QA, manual test cases and regression. The most important skills for an associate consultant are healthcare, customer service, and project management.
| Quality Assurance Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $86,486 | $73,340 |
| Hourly rate | $41.58 | $35.26 |
| Growth rate | - | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 91,395 | 94,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A quality assurance consultant specializes in recommending and optimizing quality-control procedures ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They typically conduct research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current quality control operations, implement solutions on problem areas, review policies and regulations, and coordinate with other staff to gather necessary data, analyzing them to find new opportunities for improvement. Furthermore, as a quality assurance consultant, it is essential to recommend solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its mission and vision.
An associate consultant is responsible for evaluating the project requirements based on clients' specifications, ensuring that the team meets project deliverables efficiently. Associate consultants test system applications and network infrastructure to recommend possible modifications for optimal performance and flawless navigation. They also identify cost-efficient business opportunities to gain more clients and improve overall project management procedures. An associate consultant may also facilitate training programs for the staff to maximize their productivity and hone their potential.
Quality assurance consultants and associate consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Assurance Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Average salary | $86,486 | $73,340 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $110,000 | Between $60,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Southern California Edison | Practice Fusion |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a quality assurance consultant and an associate consultant in terms of educational background:
| Quality Assurance Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between quality assurance consultants' and associate consultants' demographics:
| Quality Assurance Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% | Male, 55.5% Female, 44.5% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |