Quality control inspector vs quality assurance inspector

The differences between quality control inspectors and quality assurance inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality assurance inspector has an average salary of $36,842, which is higher than the $35,018 average annual salary of a quality control inspector.

The top three skills for a quality control inspector include calipers, magnetic particle and quality products. The most important skills for a quality assurance inspector are calipers, micrometers, and corrective action.

Quality control inspector vs quality assurance inspector overview

	Quality Control Inspector	Quality Assurance Inspector
Yearly salary	$35,018	$36,842
Hourly rate	$16.84	$17.71
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	92,794	74,410
Job satisfaction	4.5	3
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

What does a quality control inspector do?

Quality control associate scientist roles require good observation, critical thinking, and communication skills, in addition to knowledge of procedures and chemistry. They assist in laboratory experiments and research, while working in a team or independently. Working with the lead scientist, associates may compile reports of their data findings.

What does a quality assurance inspector do?

Quality Assurance Auditors are employees who ensure the adherence of other employees to company processes and guidelines. They are expected to be experts on quality assurance processes and procedures. They also have in-depth knowledge of the expected outcomes of such processes to ensure that the company only provides quality products and services. Quality assurance auditors are also familiar with regulatory laws and policies of governing bodies that oversee companies in their particular industry. They ensure that their companies are compliant and may conduct random quality checks every now and then.

Quality control inspector vs quality assurance inspector salary

Quality control inspectors and quality assurance inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Quality Control Inspector	Quality Assurance Inspector
Average salary	$35,018	$36,842
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $47,000	Between $27,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	Broomfield, CO	Renton, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	Los Alamos National Laboratory	Los Alamos National Laboratory
Best paying industry	Automotive	Government

Differences between quality control inspector and quality assurance inspector education

There are a few differences between a quality control inspector and a quality assurance inspector in terms of educational background:

	Quality Control Inspector	Quality Assurance Inspector
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Quality control inspector vs quality assurance inspector demographics

Here are the differences between quality control inspectors' and quality assurance inspectors' demographics:

	Quality Control Inspector	Quality Assurance Inspector
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 59.2% Female, 40.8%	Male, 71.7% Female, 28.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 8.6% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 9.1% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between quality control inspector and quality assurance inspector duties and responsibilities

Quality control inspector example responsibilities.

Coordinate joint surveys with SATORP inspectors and manage clearance of all issue active LBE and NCR.
Conduct measurements and verify critical dimensions using micrometers, calipers, measuring tape, protractors and other calibrate instruments.
Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments including rulers, calipers, gauges and micrometers.
Use of the RF scanner to receive merchandises to their proper locations in a measure time.
Fill items correctly while tracking inventory using RF scan gun; manually correct product counts in system.
Complete lab checks on cook and raw pork products, as well as part of the HACCP team.

Quality assurance inspector example responsibilities.

Coordinate joint surveys with SATORP inspectors and manage clearance of all issue active LBE and NCR.
Work with IPC and ISO regulations.
Examine parts for damage or excessive wear using micrometers and gauges and other specialize test equipment.
Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as rulers, calipers or micrometers.
Inspect and measure surgical steel medical devices for critical dimensions, checking tolerance using micrometers and calipers reading from blueprint designs.
Qualify coating systems and painters to ASTM standards.

Quality control inspector vs quality assurance inspector skills

Common quality control inspector skills

Calipers, 9%
Magnetic Particle, 9%
Quality Products, 8%
Micrometers, 7%
Safety Standards, 5%
Quality Standards, 4%

Common quality assurance inspector skills

Calipers, 7%
Micrometers, 6%
Corrective Action, 5%
Safety Standards, 5%
Inspection Reports, 4%
Quality Standards, 4%

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Quality Control Inspector
Quality Control Inspector vs Quality Assurance Inspector

Updated January 8, 2025

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