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Job outlook for quality control associates in the United States
Quality control associate job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected quality control associate job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 1,900 new jobs for quality control associates are projected over the next decade.
Quality control associate salaries have increased 14% for quality control associates in the last 5 years.
There are over 35,743 quality control associates currently employed in the United States.
There are 83,137 active quality control associate job openings in the US.
The average quality control associate salary is $44,519.
Are quality control associate jobs in demand?
Quality control associate job and salary trends over time
Quality control associate jobs over time
Quality control associate job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35,743 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 35,698 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 36,686 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 37,419 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 38,543 | 0.01% |
Average quality control associate salary over time
Quality control associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,519 | $21.40 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $42,898 | $20.62 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $42,151 | $20.26 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $40,810 | $19.62 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | $39,071 | $18.78 | +1.6% |
Quality control associate jobs by state
Most common states for quality control associates
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 322 | 24% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 153 | 22% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 996 | 18% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 177 | 18% |
| 5 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 520 | 17% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 906 | 15% |
| 7 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,434 | 14% |
| 8 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,191 | 14% |
| 9 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 952 | 14% |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 838 | 14% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 148 | 14% |
| 12 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,323 | 13% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,149 | 13% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 396 | 13% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,769 | 12% |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 813 | 12% |
| 17 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 602 | 12% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 448 | 12% |
| 19 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 92 | 12% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 74 | 12% |
Most common cities for quality control associates
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fremont | 16 | 7% | $61,190 |
| 2 | Thousand Oaks | 9 | 7% | $57,897 |
| 3 | Redmond | 3 | 5% | $56,033 |
| 4 | Cambridge | 3 | 3% | $61,373 |
| 5 | New Bedford | 3 | 3% | $62,449 |
| 6 | Santa Monica | 3 | 3% | $57,397 |
| 7 | Arcadia | 2 | 3% | $57,104 |
| 8 | Carlsbad | 2 | 2% | $55,658 |
| 9 | Mountain View | 2 | 2% | $61,379 |
| 10 | San Diego | 8 | 1% | $55,249 |
| 11 | Aurora | 2 | 1% | $38,587 |
| 12 | Irvine | 2 | 1% | $56,447 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 7 | 0% | $57,327 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $38,407 |
| 15 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $61,410 |
| 16 | Columbus | 2 | 0% | $43,653 |
Quality Control Associate job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of quality control associate experts
California State University - East Bay
Northern Kentucky University
Northern Kentucky University
Southwestern College
College of Idaho
Ohio University Southern
Wake Forest University
University of Utah
Meredith College
Boston College
Harding University
Methodist University
Brandeis University
University of Minnesota, Morris
High Point University
Georgia College and State University
University of California
Maryville University
What general advice would you give to a Quality Control Associate?
John Richardson: Skills? Well, both hard and soft... Obviously, you will need to have the basic lab and knowledge skills that would be expected of a competent chemistry graduate. Yes, your new employer will spend time training you in the specific skills that pertain to your new job, but basic knowledge and skill sets (e.g., pipetting, calculating dilution factors, having baseline knowledge of common instrumentation) will be expected. As for soft skills, be friendly, cooperative, and curious. Extend these character traits to both your peers and supervisors. Other useful skills that my former students mention would be having some basic knowledge of business and perhaps coding.
What general advice would you give to a Quality Control Associate?
Monika Sommerhalter: Know your worth and look for opportunities to grow. Set yourself professional goals, whether it is a large goal (such as getting a promotion) or smaller goals (attending a workshop to master a new skill) on an ongoing basis. Keep your resume up-to-date so that it is easier for you to apply for new job opportunities within or outside of your company.
What will help Quality Control Associates increase their earning potential?
Monika Sommerhalter: The skill of learning itself! Being able to acquire new skills will become more important as technological progress speeds up. With more automation and machine assisted analysis, more data will be generated. The ability to distinguish relevant and meaningful information from superfluous data without getting overwhelmed will therefore also matter. Communication skills will always be relevant. Research and production teams need group members who can communicate their findings in an efficient and clear manner. With respect to Chemistry: Most analytical chemistry techniques, for example High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), will remain important for many years to come, but there will always be extensions and new developments, such as Ultra(HPLC) and new chromatography materials and detection methods. Having a solid foundation and to understand the basic principles of essential laboratory techniques in Chemistry combined with a curious and open mind to appreciate or even come-up with novel developments is a great recipe for success!
What Quality Control Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Isabelle Lagadic Ph.D.: I’ve met employers asking me if I could teach my students basic skills like “being on time”, “writing a proper email”, “clearly and carefully documenting their work”, “using critical thinking to stop a recording or an experiment when it is obvious that it is not working”. Those very basic skills that everyone takes for granted in addition of basic technical skills are going to become the most prevalent in the coming years. What’s scary is the collision between the inevitable advancement of Ai in this field and this lack of basic skills. It is difficult to train people on tomorrow’s skills if they don’t already master today’s skills.
What will help Quality Control Associates increase their earning potential?
Patrick Hare: Facility with using and interpreting AI results is an obvious growing need. Many of those skills are just applied analytical and critical thinking. The trick will be to do the applying and keep them fresh. Understanding how the systems work will also be useful.
What Quality Control Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Hecht Ph.D.: Not sure- with a solid chemistry bkg and training, graduates should be equipped to learn and adapt as needed. Soft skills are VERY important and need to be developed.
Changqing Chen Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorWhat will help Quality Control Associates increase their earning potential?
Changqing Chen Ph.D.: Try to develop some business skills on product marketing and sales. Try to apply your scientific and engineering skills to business and become an all-around player.
What general advice would you give to a Quality Control Associate?
Bonnie Cantrell: Chemistry is the backbone to most protocols for the material, medical, and biological sciences.
Without chemistry, we would not know many of the things we know today. It will always be relevant in
helping change the scientific world as we know it. The advancements in science technology alone makes
chemistry today more exciting than ever. Just with balances from 1980's to now, we went from only
being able to weigh with counter balance weights to having a digital scale read accurately to 0.001
milligrams. Chemistry used to be more theoretical and only explainable from what we could make react
together. Now we have technology that can visualize the chemical composition and structure allowing
for us to create solutions to problems we could only dream of before. Whether you are wanting danger,
to save lives, or to help make this planet a better place to live, being a chemist can help you fuel your
passions.
Kyle Kemats Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of InstructionOhio University Southern
Chemistry Department
What skills stand out on Quality Control Associate resumes?
Kyle Kemats Ph.D.: For industry/research positions, employers like to see that candidates have experience/training on certain instruments. HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) is a common instrument that I see in a lot of job postings, so experience with that can be especially helpful to a candidate.
What soft skills should all Quality Control Associates possess?
Kyle Kemats Ph.D.: Communication skills are crucial, regardless of the type of position. Chemists need to be able to effectively communicate their findings, as well as communicate with their supervisors and colleagues. Additionally, chemists may be asked to train newer employees, further highlighting the importance of these communication skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Quality Control Associates?
Kyle Kemats Ph.D.: As I mentioned in question 1, training/experience on various instruments is the most important for industry/research jobs. For teaching positions, experience with different pedagogical/education techniques will be helpful for a potential candidate.
What skills will help Quality Control Associates earn the most?
Kyle Kemats Ph.D.: Communication, original thinking, as well as hard skills (training on instruments).
Brian Mendenhall
Associate Director and Career CoachWake Forest University
Office of Personal and Career Development
What skills stand out on Quality Control Associate resumes?
Brian Mendenhall: Two things that stand out for me, regardless of whether the person is seeking employment in research or industry, are data analysis (Excel, Python, R) and presentation skills. Research specific skills would also include experimental design and specific relevant laboratory techniques & equipment experience.
What soft skills should all Quality Control Associates possess?
Brian Mendenhall: In the past, the most important attributes have been leadership and problem-solving skills. If the pandemic has taught us anything, the most important attribute is the ability to work with others and get along in multiple virtual and in-person environments. The rest seem elementary and are all dependent on each other. To work well on a team, you need to problem-solve, both on the topic and on how to share information. To solve problems, you need to be analytical and quantitative. Certainly, to do this well, you need to communicate across diverse audiences and levels of understanding. The National Association of Colleges and Employers surveys employers on these priorities and updates the results frequently. (see below for your reference)
Ability to work in a team 81.0%
Problem-solving skills 79.0%
Analytical/quantitative skills 76.1%
Communication skills (verbal) 73.2%
Communication skills (written)
https://www.naceweb.org/about-us/press/the-key-attributes-employers-seek-on-college-graduates-resumes/
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.
Dale and Susan Poulter Endowed Chair in Biological Chemistry, Associate Chair of ChemistryUniversity of Utah
Department Of Chemistry
What skills stand out on Quality Control Associate resumes?
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.: The skills that stand out are research experience, characterization instrumentation experience, and more recently, data science experience and coding experience, as machine learning and AI become more and more important in chemistry.
What soft skills should all Quality Control Associates possess?
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.: The most important soft skills are communication and people management skills. It is critical to be strong in both oral and written communication.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Quality Control Associates?
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.: The most important technical skill is solid experience in a research laboratory where you learn technique as well as the fundamentals.
Alexandra (Sasha) Ormond Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemistry, Director of Dual Degree EngineeringMeredith College
Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Geoscience
What general advice would you give to a Quality Control Associate?
Alexandra (Sasha) Ormond Ph.D.: Chemistry graduates should be open minded, and ready to absorb and use information. They should be confident in themselves, and since they're still learning, they should not hesitate to ask for help and advice. If students haven't learned how to fail, they should go into a career ready for potential failures, and they will need to be ready to handle failures and move on.
Dunwei Wang Ph.D.
Margaret A & Thomas A Vanderslice Chair in Chemistry, Professor of Chemistry, Chairperson of Chemistry DepartmentBoston College
Chemistry Department
What skills stand out on Quality Control Associate resumes?
Dunwei Wang Ph.D.: Skills to identify and solve problems.
What soft skills should all Quality Control Associates possess?
Dunwei Wang Ph.D.: Problem-solving skills. When presented with a problem, knowing where to go to find information to solve it.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Quality Control Associates?
Dunwei Wang Ph.D.: Chemistry is a diverse field. As a foundational discipline, it enables several sub-fields and supports emerging new fields. As one example, our graduates become experts in medical research, health care, and scientists and engineers in many other fields. Depending on the different career goals, what is important can be drastically different. Generally speaking, doing bench work (either in the lab or on a computer) should be a good skill to have at graduation.
What skills will help Quality Control Associates earn the most?
Dunwei Wang Ph.D.: Earnings right after graduation aren't really a great way of measuring success; short-term gains in earnings may not serve the goal of long-term growth well.
What Quality Control Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dennis Province Ph.D.: In the field of science, it is always a good idea to have all the skills that you can get. If you want to work in a microbiology lab, you should think about learning some chemistry or statistics. Important work never stays in one tiny corner of science; it bridges many fields and so should your skill set. People skills are also very important. Can you talk to people and communicate and listen to new ideas?
A gap year usually implies finding work as a research technician before applying to graduate or professional school. If this is the case, one question that employers and graduate programs have about their applicants are about their fitness: can they withstand the rigor at the next level? A recent graduate needs to show evidence that they are responsible and timely. The gap year should be filled with activities that show this.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Quality Control Associate job market given the pandemic?
Dennis Province Ph.D.: Trends indicate that the job market is definitely going digital. Virtual interviews and job fairs are much more common now.
What general advice would you give to a Quality Control Associate?
Dennis Province Ph.D.: You never know where you will end up later in life and what skills you will need in the future. Open your mind and become a lifelong learner. Be a student of life and learn from others at every step of the journey. Employers are always looking for workers that show initiative. Decide where you want to work and what you think you might want to do and have the courage to contact someone, and let them know! Most jobs or opportunities are found and decided with an informal conversation. Employers want the best people and those tend to be type that take the initiative.
Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.
Chair, Associate ProfessorMethodist University
Department of Chemistry and Physical Science
What skills stand out on Quality Control Associate resumes?
Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.: Skills that make recent chemistry graduates stand out are research experience, internships, part-time work in labs, and hands-on familiarity with certain types of preparation, techniques, and analysis equipment. Most jobs in the field of chemistry are for analysts, so the ability to understand and perform certain methods and analyze/interpret data is a valuable skill.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Quality Control Associate job market given the pandemic?
Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.: I think the biggest trends will be more of a willingness for graduates to expand their geographic areas in which they are searching for jobs. For chemistry graduates, there will always be a job in a lab somewhere, but you must be willing to move for it. The less a graduate is limited by location, the higher their chances of employment. Another likely trend will be an increase in graduate school applications. With a decrease in certain job markets, graduates will return to higher education in pursuit of a master's or Ph.D. to improve their resume or C.V. Many chemistry graduate programs offer tuition remission and teaching stipends/assistantships, so this is a very viable option for recent graduates who are struggling to find employment as a chemist.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Quality Control Associates to find work opportunities?
Stephanie Hooper Marosek Ph.D.: Places that are associated with research and development, pharmaceutical or biotech companies, or large research universities are likely to have positions available for laboratory analysts. For example, our graduates are fortunate that the Research Triangle Park in the Raleigh/Durham area is close by. There are many R&D, biotech, pharmaceutical, or similar types of labs in the surrounding areas that are often looking for entry-level chemists. If a graduate is not limited by geography, then they will be able to find employment as a chemist within a few months of graduation.
What experience really stands out on Quality Control Associate resumes?
Dwight Peavey Ph.D.: Hands-on experience through an internship(s) and summer employment/research in the environment field puts that student ahead of others. Many students receive job offers from firms at which they have been employed or interned.
How do you envision technology impacting Quality Control Associates in the next 5 years?
Dwight Peavey Ph.D.: Technology is the key to identifying environmental problems/hotspots. The drone will increase ecological data collections and routine monitoring of facilities, crops, or ecosystems. Remote sensors are cost-effective and timely in 24/7 monitoring. Technology is the key to pollution prevention. Fix the problem before the accident or release.
How do you envision technology impacting Quality Control Associates in the next 5 years?
Alyssa Pirinelli Ph.D.: I think we will have more opportunities to work remotely, so I believe graduates will need experience working in teams on documents and related software. Scheduling synchronous meetings may become more challenging due to outside work or personal commitments/responsibilities. It is currently unclear when things may return to "normal" concerning having people in one physical room for a meeting. Therefore Zoom experience (both as an attendee and someone who runs their sessions with at least a few other people present) or similar will be essential. I also believe there will be more emphasis on the written word and conceptual drawings/artistic expression. There is no requirement for everyone to be in the room simultaneously, and the "workshopping an idea" is nowhere near as quickly done over Zoom. Software for creating images (from basic chemical line structures to creating and manipulating 3D drawings of macromolecules) may help mitigate some of these problems. In some cases, additional seats/site licenses may be needed for some software, depending on the demand.
More of our instrumentation can likely be run remotely, or the software may need to be easily remotely monitored. Still, in many cases, the required tech is either expensive or not invented yet (this may be a promising avenue for students who are analytical minded!). However, much of the leading technology we use on a daily/weekly basis is pretty standard. There may be more influx of new/cutting edge things at larger institutions, but for now, students need to know the basics of how to understand/run/troubleshoot standard instruments. Fancier buttons do not necessarily make for fancier instrumentation.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Quality Control Associates?
Alyssa Pirinelli Ph.D.: Graduates in the sciences will have to deal with the hiring freeze and economic downturn, the same as many fields, so putting their skills into different areas will prove useful.
There is also a sense among our students of "what's the point of my science education if there are no jobs" and I don't know what to tell them at this point. Over the last several years (I've been here for four now), there has been a flood of scientists on the market and fewer jobs, and the pandemic's unemployment and subsequent significant hiring freezes certainly hasn't helped matters. Right now, there are more and more graduates for very few positions, so there will be a few years where this will likely still be a problem.
Dr. Brian Augustine Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry and ChairHigh Point University
Department of Chemistry
What type of skills will young Quality Control Associates need?
Dr. Brian Augustine Ph.D.: Students always need foundational technical skills. In addition to skills specific to chemistry and biochemistry, strong communication and interpersonal skills such as writing, speaking, and collaboration are vital, as are quantitative reasoning skills such as data analytics, statistical analysis, and programming.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Quality Control Associates to find work opportunities?
Dr. Brian Augustine Ph.D.: There are several high technology hubs worldwide with promising job prospects for degrees in chemistry and biochemistry. These include the Greater Boston area, Silicon Valley, Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, Austin, Texas, Southern California, Washington D.C. Metro area, New York/New Jersey Metro area, and the Seattle region.
What experience really stands out on Quality Control Associate resumes?
Peter Rosado: A while ago, I was a manager in cosmetics manufacturing before I became a professor and was in charge of hiring some new personnel, so I can attest that hiring managers are looking for candidates that are well rounded. That meaning is not just content knowledgeable, but candidates who can hold a conversation and interact with customers, clients, and peers. Knowledge about the world is also a plus.
Our company would do business in many countries and even national companies. Every time I would see a resume from a candidate with these qualities, I would pay close attention to it. Being able to interact with others, have leadership skills, and follow-through is a big positive. Problem-solving skills are hopefully acquired by obtaining a chemistry degree, but these other soft skills are developed by being involved in situations outside of the classroom/lab.
I recommend aspiring candidates to be involved in local organizations that pertain to their fields, maybe hold officer positions, interact with the public, etc. I encourage them to be involved in their field of study rather than spectating it.
What Quality Control Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Peter Rosado: I tell students to call their "gap" year more of a "Developmental" year. If a graduate desires to have such a year, they should focus on their whole goal, which means developing their professionalism and having other experiences. For example, travel to another country, learn a new language, intern at a company outside of the U.S., get involved further in the field of study. What stands out in candidates is how they made use of their time, skills that they acquired, and how they could weave them into the position they are applying for. That the candidate has had experiences outside of their comfort zone tells me as an employer that they are flexible and can adapt to new and unpredictable situations.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Quality Control Associates in the next 3-5 years?
Peter Rosado: Right now, with COVID-19, I feel that the field of medicinal chemistry/biotechnology is going to see a boom. Materials science is also on the rise with alternative energies and new restorative therapies. The area of chemistry is not a more extended purist and more integrated/interdisciplinary. No longer can you call yourself an "inorganic chemist" or an "analytical chemist"? Graduates should be aware that flexibility and eagerness to learn new things is critical here. These are the skills obtained from a college degree, which is not the only subject matter. But the ability to think through and solve problems, be flexible, adaptable, etc.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Quality Control Associates?
Vicki Grassian Ph.D.: I think there will be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on new graduates, and everyone else for that matter, for some time to come. We will come out on the other side for sure in about the next year, but the impacts will linger on. What does that mean for graduates entering the job market in 2020? For our chemistry and biochemistry majors, I am very happy to say I have seen hiring! For example, I have seen one graduate student turn an internship into a job awaiting her when she finishes at the end of 2020, and I have seen an undergraduate student within a month of graduating last spring that applied for a position that was well aligned with her interests and skillset and was then hired for that position. These are just a couple of anecdotal examples, but I find them uplifting and encouraging for people who are entering the job market this year.
How do you envision technology impacting Quality Control Associates in the next 5 years?
Vicki Grassian Ph.D.: There is more and more interest in AI in chemistry and biochemistry. I think we are at the cusp of an AI wave for chemistry and biochemistry research, from designing drugs to contaminant remediation. It will be interesting in 5 to 10 years from now to see where this all goes.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Quality Control Associates?
Anuradha Vummenthala: I don't envision the significant enduring impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on graduates looking for jobs in the Chemistry field. I do acknowledge that the current scenario appears gloomy. It has undoubtedly impacted everyone's lives socially, economically, and psychologically. But we, as humans and especially as Americans, have remarkable resilience, and we are bound to bounce back more vital than ever before.
We managed through the Great Recession and the economic crisis of 2008. The graduates may face some short-term challenges due to a hiring freeze and delayed start date on new hiring. However, the economy is slowly opening up, and opportunities will soon start pouring in. This is not going to last forever! Graduates can efficiently utilize this time to broaden their skill sets, expand their network, and explore non-traditional career paths like scientific writings, patent drafting, federal jobs, etc
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Quality Control Associates to find work opportunities?
Anuradha Vummenthala: The East Coast and West Coast are hubs for chemistry job opportunities. Texas is another place where options are plenty. The St. Louis area also has ample opportunities for chemistry graduate students by pharmaceutical, agrochemicals, and many startups.