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The differences between quality control specialists and quality assurance associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality assurance associate has an average salary of $61,473, which is higher than the $49,281 average annual salary of a quality control specialist.
The top three skills for a quality control specialist include GMP, patients and customer service. The most important skills for a quality assurance associate are excellent interpersonal, customer service, and GMP.
| Quality Control Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $49,281 | $61,473 |
| Hourly rate | $23.69 | $29.55 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 100,535 | 62,324 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A quality control specialist is responsible for maintaining the quality of the products during production before storing for use and deliveries. Quality control specialists evaluate the products through internal specifications and processes. They conduct thorough inspections of finished products to identify any inconsistencies and malfunctions, immediately replacing or reproducing defective items. They also create a record of production issues to discuss with the management, developing strategic procedures to address quality problems for accuracy. A quality control specialist must have excellent communication skills, as well as be detail-oriented to identify areas of improvement and ensure customer satisfaction.
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 control specialists and quality assurance associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Control Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Average salary | $49,281 | $61,473 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $75,000 | Between $44,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rockville, MD | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a quality control specialist and a quality assurance associate in terms of educational background:
| Quality Control Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between quality control specialists' and quality assurance associates' demographics:
| Quality Control Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | 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 | 8% | 11% |