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The differences between quality assurance supervisors and quality assurance associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a quality assurance supervisor, becoming a quality assurance associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a quality assurance supervisor has an average salary of $66,145, which is higher than the $61,473 average annual salary of a quality assurance associate.
The top three skills for a quality assurance supervisor include food safety, product quality and corrective action. The most important skills for a quality assurance associate are excellent interpersonal, customer service, and GMP.
| Quality Assurance Supervisor | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $66,145 | $61,473 |
| Hourly rate | $31.80 | $29.55 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 82,301 | 62,324 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A quality assurance supervisor oversees and leads the quality control operations within a manufacturing plant or similar establishment. They are primarily responsible for crafting and implementing policies that prioritize the efficiency of products or services, supervising and evaluating the performances of the workforce, and setting standards and procedures that align not just with the goals of the company, but the national and international level of production standards. Furthermore, as a supervisor in the field, it is crucial to encourage and shape quality assurance workers into valuable members of the company.
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.
Quality assurance supervisors and quality assurance associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Assurance Supervisor | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Average salary | $66,145 | $61,473 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $94,000 | Between $44,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | New York |
| Best paying company | Bristol-Myers Squibb | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a quality assurance supervisor and a quality assurance associate in terms of educational background:
| Quality Assurance Supervisor | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between quality assurance supervisors' and quality assurance associates' demographics:
| Quality Assurance Supervisor | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 4.6% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 6% | 11% |