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The differences between quality control technicians and quality control specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality control specialist has an average salary of $49,281, which is higher than the $40,337 average annual salary of a quality control technician.
The top three skills for a quality control technician include lab equipment, quality control tests and test results. The most important skills for a quality control specialist are GMP, patients, and customer service.
| Quality Control Technician | Quality Control Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $40,337 | $49,281 |
| Hourly rate | $19.39 | $23.69 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 98,407 | 100,535 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 45 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
Usually assigned in a manufacturing plant, a quality control technician's role focuses on testing and assessing materials before, after, and during a production process to ensure its efficiency. They also have responsibilities in implementing the policies and regulations of the company, all to maintain a safe and productive working environment for every employee. Furthermore, a quality control technician must produce necessary reports and documentation, coordinate with managers and supervisors, maintain accurate documentation, and oversee a team to secure quality standard outcomes.
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.
Quality control technicians and quality control specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Control Technician | Quality Control Specialist | |
| Average salary | $40,337 | $49,281 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $32,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Rockville, MD |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Boehringer Ingelheim | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a quality control technician and a quality control specialist in terms of educational background:
| Quality Control Technician | Quality Control Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between quality control technicians' and quality control specialists' demographics:
| Quality Control Technician | Quality Control Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.1% Female, 36.9% | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |