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The differences between quality managers and quality leads 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 manager and a quality lead. Additionally, a quality manager has an average salary of $91,357, which is higher than the $90,301 average annual salary of a quality lead.
The top three skills for a quality manager include continuous improvement, corrective action and quality standards. The most important skills for a quality lead are continuous improvement, product quality, and quality standards.
| Quality Manager | Quality Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $91,357 | $90,301 |
| Hourly rate | $43.92 | $43.41 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 63,422 | 62,018 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A quality manager is an individual who is responsible for ensuring that the level of quality of the company's product outputs is met for customers. Quality managers monitor and evaluate the internal production process so that they can produce statistical reports on the standard of quality and communicate them to upper management. To ensure health and safety standards, quality managers must create and maintain up-to-date product or process specifications. They also train employees on quality assurance standards and processes.
A quality assurance (QA) lead is responsible for organizing and managing the testing of products prior to its release. Your duties will include defining testing standards and strategies, establishing formal QA processes, and overseeing all aspects of QA, such as using best practices and establishing metrics. Additionally, you are responsible for supervising and mentoring QA team members, and developing and implementing scripts, test cases, and procedures. You are also responsible for managing off quality products and developing and institutionalizing ISO complaints.
Quality managers and quality leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Manager | Quality Lead | |
| Average salary | $91,357 | $90,301 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $128,000 | Between $63,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a quality manager and a quality lead in terms of educational background:
| Quality Manager | Quality Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between quality managers' and quality leads' demographics:
| Quality Manager | Quality Lead | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.1% Female, 27.9% | Male, 58.7% Female, 41.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 9.1% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |