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The differences between quality assurance interns and quality assurance leads 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 internship and a quality assurance lead. Additionally, a quality assurance lead has an average salary of $94,758, which is higher than the $37,029 average annual salary of a quality assurance internship.
The top three skills for a quality assurance internship include QA, java and python. The most important skills for a quality assurance lead are QA, test cases, and test plan.
| Quality Assurance Internship | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $37,029 | $94,758 |
| Hourly rate | $17.80 | $45.56 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 121,163 | 82,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A quality assurance internship involves a trainee who gains working experience in the field of quality assurance (QA) by observing QA professionals perform their work and by learning techniques about quality assurance. Quality assurance interns must monitor and test process functions and materials to ensure that products meet the necessary customer requirements. They follow their assigned quality control plans or guidelines as well as evaluate data for any deviations in the manufacturing process. Quality assurance interns must also assist internal and external customers regarding quality-related matters.
A quality assurance lead, also known as QA Lead, is responsible for conducting necessary quality tests and analyses for software program and development. As a quality assurance lead, they must take the lead in ensuring quality during development by proactively performing critical evaluations, troubleshooting, and providing precise documentation. It is also essential to identify issues and resolve them as soon as possible. Furthermore, a quality assurance lead must maintain an active line of communication and coordination as most of the work will be in a team setting.
Quality assurance interns and quality assurance leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Assurance Internship | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average salary | $37,029 | $94,758 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $52,000 | Between $72,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Ernst & Young | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Retail |
There are a few differences between a quality assurance internship and a quality assurance lead in terms of educational background:
| Quality Assurance Internship | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Accounting | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between quality assurance interns' and quality assurance leads' demographics:
| Quality Assurance Internship | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.4% Female, 39.6% | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |