How To Become A Quality Assurance Manager: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become a Quality Assurance Manager?

It takes 9 years of professional experience to become a quality assurance manager. That is the time it takes to learn specific quality assurance manager skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 12 to 14 years years to become a quality assurance manager.

Q: How much do QA managers make?

QA managers make $85,200 a year, ranging between $75,278 and $131,629 a year. Factors such as location and years of experience impact how much a QA manager can earn. Highest-Paying Cities for QA Manager:

Q: How much do quality assurance managers get paid?

Quality assurance managers get paid $85,200 a year. The range for a quality assurance manager is between $75,278 and $131,629 a year. Factors such as location and industry type can all impact how much a quality assurance manager can earn.

Q: What degree do you need to be a quality manager?

A bachelor's degree is needed to be a quality manager. For an entry-level quality manager, one must have a bachelor's degree in a field related to business or quality control. Undergraduate courses in mathematics, systems management, measurements, and business management are ideal for students hoping to pursue careers as quality managers. Further degrees such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) are not typically required for quality manager positions, but they make you a stronger candidate.

Q: What is the difference between a quality manager and a quality assurance manager?

The difference between a quality manager and quality assurance is related to the scope of the responsibilities related to quality control. Quality assurance, for example, focuses on the function of the product quality, which guarantees that the processes, standards, and procedures are suitable for the project and are properly implemented.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a quality assurance manager?

The qualifications needed to be a quality assurance manager include educational credentials and on-the-job experience. A bachelor's degree in quality assurance and business statistics is preferable. For some managerial/higher positions, having a postgraduate degree or technical degree is much essential.

What is a quality assurance manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A quality assurance manager ensures that a company's products or services meet the required quality standards. They develop and implement quality control processes, perform audits, and analyze data. A quality assurance manager also trains staff on quality procedures and notes any regulatory changes. They work closely with production teams to enforce proper processes and standards. Quality assurance managers aim to ensure that products or services meet customer expectations and comply with industry standards.

ScoreQuality Assurance ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.6

Avg. Salary $99,894

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.8

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 9.15%

Black or African American 3.84%

Hispanic or Latino 13.17%

Unknown 3.87%

White 69.46%

Gender

female 32.90%

male 67.10%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

9.8

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a quality assurance manager?

Pros

High level of responsibility and impact on product quality
Competitive salary and benefits
Potential for career growth and advancement
Ability to make data-driven decisions
Opportunity to travel for inspections or audits

Cons

Long working hours, including weekends or evenings
Risk of burnout due to high demands and workload
Potential for repetitive tasks and routine work
Need to deal with complex technical issues and details
Potential for limited autonomy or decision-making power in certain organizations.

Key steps to become a quality assurance manager

Explore quality assurance manager education requirements

Most common quality assurance manager degrees

Bachelor's

62.7 %

Associate

15.3 %

Master's

12.8 %

Start to develop specific quality assurance manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Continuous Improvement	6.14%
Product Quality	5.44%
Corrective Action	4.89%
Food Safety	4.82%
ISO	4.64%

Complete relevant quality assurance manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New quality assurance managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a quality assurance manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real quality assurance manager resumes.

Research quality assurance manager duties and responsibilities

Manage issues and risks (project and cross tower), via SharePoint.
Manage two development teams writing test code for Java security features and all mobile 3D graphics.
Lead cross functional teams to solve complex production problems and identify long term solutions using lean sigma tools.
Manage teams of permanent and contract technicians and serve as the subject matter expert (SME) on calibration activities.

Prepare your quality assurance manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your quality assurance manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a quality assurance manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable quality assurance manager resume templates

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