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The differences between quality control engineers and design engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a quality control engineer, becoming a design engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a design engineer has an average salary of $77,134, which is higher than the $70,845 average annual salary of a quality control engineer.
The top three skills for a quality control engineer include product quality, quality standards and corrective action. The most important skills for a design engineer are C++, UL, and project management.
| Quality Control Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $70,845 | $77,134 |
| Hourly rate | $34.06 | $37.08 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 109,745 | 138,173 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A quality control engineer is responsible for conducting quality assessments for the company's products and services to ensure adherence to federal regulations and quality standards. Quality control engineers recommend strategic methods by analyzing processes and writing test results. They also identify opportunities for more services that meet public demands and market trends, helping the business generate more resources for revenues. A quality control engineer utilizes various software tools and applications to document findings, requiring them to have excellent communication and technical skills.
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
Quality control engineers and design engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Control Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average salary | $70,845 | $77,134 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $94,000 | Between $57,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | California |
| Best paying company | Intuitive Surgical | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a quality control engineer and a design engineer in terms of educational background:
| Quality Control Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between quality control engineers' and design engineers' demographics:
| Quality Control Engineer | Design Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |