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The differences between quality specialists and quality leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality lead has an average salary of $90,301, which is higher than the $65,230 average annual salary of a quality specialist.
The top three skills for a quality specialist include customer service, data analysis and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a quality lead are continuous improvement, product quality, and quality standards.
| Quality Specialist | Quality Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $65,230 | $90,301 |
| Hourly rate | $31.36 | $43.41 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 80,316 | 62,018 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
Quality control senior scientists ensure that testing, materials, and laboratory equipment are up to standard. In the course of their career, they can expect to perform tests for the quality of manufacturing processes in order to ensure compliance with predetermined criteria, as well as ensuring that final products are safe for sale or distribution. This is a career that requires the skills of teamwork, communication, writing, and prioritization. Also, good attention to detail and some technical skills will be needed.
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 specialists and quality leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Specialist | Quality Lead | |
| Average salary | $65,230 | $90,301 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $98,000 | Between $63,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a quality specialist and a quality lead in terms of educational background:
| Quality Specialist | Quality Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between quality specialists' and quality leads' demographics:
| Quality Specialist | Quality Lead | |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.7% Female, 55.3% | Male, 58.7% Female, 41.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 11% | 8% |