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The differences between quality systems specialists and quality assurance associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a quality systems specialist, becoming a quality assurance associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a quality systems specialist has an average salary of $74,283, which is higher than the $61,473 average annual salary of a quality assurance associate.
The top three skills for a quality systems specialist include quality system, FDA and ISO. The most important skills for a quality assurance associate are excellent interpersonal, customer service, and GMP.
| Quality Systems Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $74,283 | $61,473 |
| Hourly rate | $35.71 | $29.55 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 120,243 | 62,324 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A quality systems specialist is responsible for conducting audit checks with the company's current quality systems and technologies to ensure adherence to regulatory policies and internal guidelines. Quality systems specialists evaluate the components of the system and recommend process improvement strategies, requiring them to have excellent technical skills to design or revise system interfaces. They also write comprehensive reports about the system's performance in meeting client requirements and determining usability to deliver outputs timely and efficiently.
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 systems specialists and quality assurance associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Quality Systems Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Average salary | $74,283 | $61,473 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $95,000 | Between $44,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Everett, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | General Motors | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a quality systems specialist and a quality assurance associate in terms of educational background:
| Quality Systems Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Accounting |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between quality systems specialists' and quality assurance associates' demographics:
| Quality Systems Specialist | Quality Assurance Associate | |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.8% Female, 56.2% | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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% |