Quality assurance inspector vs mechanical inspector

The differences between quality assurance inspectors and mechanical inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mechanical inspector has an average salary of $49,727, which is higher than the $36,842 average annual salary of a quality assurance inspector.

The top three skills for a quality assurance inspector include calipers, micrometers and corrective action. The most important skills for a mechanical inspector are calipers, micrometers, and mechanical inspection.

Quality assurance inspector vs mechanical inspector overview

	Quality Assurance Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Yearly salary	$36,842	$49,727
Hourly rate	$17.71	$23.91
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	74,410	33,863
Job satisfaction	3	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Associate Degree, 30%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

What does a quality assurance inspector do?

Quality Assurance Auditors are employees who ensure the adherence of other employees to company processes and guidelines. They are expected to be experts on quality assurance processes and procedures. They also have in-depth knowledge of the expected outcomes of such processes to ensure that the company only provides quality products and services. Quality assurance auditors are also familiar with regulatory laws and policies of governing bodies that oversee companies in their particular industry. They ensure that their companies are compliant and may conduct random quality checks every now and then.

What does a mechanical inspector do?

Mechanical inspectors are skilled professionals who are responsible for inspecting the electrical, mechanical, and other systems for commercial and residential buildings. These inspectors are required to inspect equipment such as boilers, HVAC systems, and elevators to ensure they are properly functioning. They must ensure that the works done are following local regulations while investigating reports of code violations. Mechanical inspectors must also interpret engineering drawings and specification requirements while performing quality evaluations on materials to determine the acceptance of products.

Quality assurance inspector vs mechanical inspector salary

Quality assurance inspectors and mechanical inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Quality Assurance Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Average salary	$36,842	$49,727
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $49,000	Between $36,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Renton, WA	Omaha, NE
Highest paying state	Washington	Connecticut
Best paying company	Los Alamos National Laboratory	PBF Energy
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between quality assurance inspector and mechanical inspector education

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

	Quality Assurance Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Associate Degree, 30%
Most common major	Business	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	-	-

Quality assurance inspector vs mechanical inspector demographics

Here are the differences between quality assurance inspectors' and mechanical inspectors' demographics:

	Quality Assurance Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 71.7% Female, 28.3%	Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 9.1% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 8.1% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between quality assurance inspector and mechanical inspector duties and responsibilities

Quality assurance inspector example responsibilities.

Coordinate joint surveys with SATORP inspectors and manage clearance of all issue active LBE and NCR.
Work with IPC and ISO regulations.
Examine parts for damage or excessive wear using micrometers and gauges and other specialize test equipment.
Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as rulers, calipers or micrometers.
Inspect and measure surgical steel medical devices for critical dimensions, checking tolerance using micrometers and calipers reading from blueprint designs.
Qualify coating systems and painters to ASTM standards.

Mechanical inspector example responsibilities.

Inspect parts to blueprints using all measuring equipment; micrometer, surface plate, calipers, customer certifications and P.O.
Review vendor supply certifications and first article inspection reports for accurate completion of documentation.
Draft ISO's as needed.
Adhere to FDA and ISO compliance.
Assemble composite assemblies in jigs.
Program and operate Mitutoyo CMM.

Quality assurance inspector vs mechanical inspector skills

Common quality assurance inspector skills

Calipers, 7%
Micrometers, 6%
Corrective Action, 5%
Safety Standards, 5%
Inspection Reports, 4%
Quality Standards, 4%

Common mechanical inspector skills

Calipers, 10%
Micrometers, 9%
Mechanical Inspection, 8%
GD, 6%
Engineering Drawings, 6%
Aerospace, 4%

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Quality Assurance Inspector
Quality Assurance Inspector vs Mechanical Inspector

Updated January 8, 2025

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