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The differences between quality management specialists and quality assurance directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a quality management specialist and a quality assurance director. Additionally, a quality assurance director has an average salary of $140,937, which is higher than the $70,819 average annual salary of a quality management specialist.
The top three skills for a quality management specialist include healthcare, quality improvement and patients. The most important skills for a quality assurance director are continuous improvement, quality standards, and oversight.
| Quality Management Specialist | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Yearly salary | $70,819 | $140,937 |
| Hourly rate | $34.05 | $67.76 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 128,494 | 66,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
In the manufacturing industry, a quality management specialist is in charge of implementing and overseeing quality management procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities typically include gathering and analyzing data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current operations, developing new strategies to optimize procedures, creating new quality assurance methods, maintaining records of transactions, and coordinating the workforce. Furthermore, as a quality management specialist, it is essential to implement solutions while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
The job of a quality assurance (QA) director is to oversee all QA functions across the company. Your duties typically include working closely with other department heads to deliver high-quality products on time, hiring managers and analysts, and establishing and maintaining a quality system to make sure that company guidelines and regulatory standards are met. Additionally, you will be responsible for ensuring quality by monitoring, appraising job results, and planning. You are also expected to maintain technical and professional knowledge by reviewing professional publications, participating in professional associations, and attending workshops.
Quality management specialists and quality assurance directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Management Specialist | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Average salary | $70,819 | $140,937 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $103,000 | Between $97,000 And $203,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | SAP | Upstart Network |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Professional |
There are a few differences between a quality management specialist and a quality assurance director in terms of educational background:
| Quality Management Specialist | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between quality management specialists' and quality assurance directors' demographics:
| Quality Management Specialist | Quality Assurance Director | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1% | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 9.1% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |