Post job

Quality technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a quality technician. Quality technicians usually study business, electrical engineering, or biology. 40% of quality technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 11,567 real quality technician resumes to see exactly what quality technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for quality technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online quality technician courses to help get the education required to be a quality technician.

There are certain quality technician certifications that you should consider. These quality technician certifications include Certified Quality Technician (CQT) and Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).

What education do you need to become a quality technician?

What degree do you need to be a quality technician?

The most common degree for quality technicians is bachelor's degree, with 40% of quality technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 30% and associate degree degree at 18%.
  • Bachelor's, 40%
  • Associate, 30%
  • High School Diploma, 18%
  • Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a quality technician?

You should major in business to become a quality technician. 29% of quality technicians major in business. Other common majors for a quality technician include electrical engineering and biology.

Most common colleges for quality technicians

Quality technicians often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, DeVry University, and Baker College. Here are the most common colleges for quality technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Quality technician common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix19.47%
DeVry University6.97%
Baker College6.15%
Pennsylvania State University5.74%
University of Wisconsin Colleges5.33%

Best majors for quality technicians

Best colleges for quality technicians

The best colleges for quality technicians are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

A quality technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for quality technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become quality technicians.

1. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

6. University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$9,457

Enrollment

7,445

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

8. Texas State University

San Marcos, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,280

Enrollment

34,187

9. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

20 best online courses for quality technicians

Advertising disclosure

1. Total Data Quality

coursera

This specialization aims to explore the Total Data Quality framework in depth and provide learners with more information about the detailed evaluation of total data quality that needs to happen prior to data analysis. The goal is for learners to incorporate evaluations of data quality into their process as a critical component for all projects. We sincerely hope to disseminate knowledge about total data quality to all learners, such as data scientists and quantitative analysts, who have not had...

2. Data Quality Fundamentals

udemy
4.2
(557)

Understand key concepts, principles and terminology related to Data Quality...

3. ISO 9001:2015 Quality management system auditor

udemy
4.5
(7,832)

Upgrade your career by learning how to implement and audit a quality management system according to ISO 9001...

4. ISO 9001:2015-Quality Management System Implementation & Audit

udemy
4.2
(707)

Learn how to Implement and Audit a Quality Management System as per ISO 9001: 2015...

5. Quality Systems, Models and Theories

udemy
4.1
(251)

Understand, Develop and Implement Quality Systems for Success and Profit...

6. Certified Quality Process Analyst Training

udemy
4.3
(311)

Certified Quality Process Analyst (CQPA) Exam Preparation Course - Confidently Pass the Exam on the First Attempt...

7. ISO9001 Quality Management System

udemy
4.4
(318)

Learn why your business should be using Quality Management TODAY and create your own QMS (Quality Management System)...

8. Certified Quality Auditor Training

udemy
4.6
(1,013)

Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) Exam Preparation Course - Confidently pass the exam in the first attempt...

9. Quality Management Systems:Management and Control of Quality

udemy
4.5
(985)

Learn to Build, Implement, and Sustain a Performance Excellence Culture into Your Organisation...

10. 7 Quality Tools for Quality Management and Improvements.

udemy
4.4
(434)

A complete Crash Course on the 7 Basic Tools for Quality Management and its Implementation using MS Excel...

11. Quality Management for Business Excellence

udemy
4.5
(3,592)

Lead Quality Management in the Organization • Transform the Organization to Become the Best-in-Class...

12. Data Quality Masterclass - The Complete Course

udemy
4.5
(1,220)

Learn Data Quality Management from A to Z. This complete guide covers all Data Quality Principles, Techniques and more...

13. Certified Quality Engineer Training [2022]

udemy
4.6
(1,829)

Comprehensive Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) Exam Preparation Course (2022 Body of Knowledge)...

14. Mastering ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System

udemy
4.6
(2,349)

Plain and Simple Clause by Clause Explanation of ISO 9001:2015 QMS Standard & Implementation Strategies...

15. Cost of Quality Analysis and Reporting using Microsoft Excel

udemy
4.4
(533)

Expertly collect, analyze and present quality cost data (using Microsoft Excel) to help drive continual improvement...

16. Mastering the Seven Quality Tools (with Microsoft Excel)

udemy
4.6
(1,544)

A Deep Dive into the theory and application of the 7 Quality Tools for root cause analysis and continuous improvement...

17. Kaizen Practitioner Masterclass for Quality Management.

udemy
4.5
(2,289)

Structured Approach to identify and Eliminate waste in Business for Continuous Improvement & Quality Management...

18. Certified Manager of Quality Training

udemy
4.5
(700)

Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) Exam Preparation Course...

19. Data Warehouse ETL Testing & Data Quality Management A-Z

udemy
4.4
(2,977)

ETL Testing and Data Quality Management for beginners with practical exercises and certificate of completion...

20. Quality Assurance Mastery - Manual Software Testing

udemy
4.5
(1,322)

Become Quality Assurance Engineer as a Complete Beginner. QA Masterclass for Junior QA Engineers...

Top 10 most affordable universities for quality technicians

The most affordable schools for quality technicians are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - long beach, and california state university - los angeles.

If the best universities for quality technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for quality technicians.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

9. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

10. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for quality technicians

The hardest universities for quality technicians to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for quality technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for quality technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

5. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

9. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

Admissions rate

30%

SAT average

1,339

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for quality technicians

The easiest schools for quality technicians to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a quality technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for quality technicians.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

5. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

10. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

Average quality technician salary by education level

Quality technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $40,223 annually. With a Associate degree, quality technicians earn a median annual income of $38,902 compared to $38,367 for quality technicians with an Bachelor's degree.
Quality technician education levelQuality technician salary
Master's Degree$40,223
High School Diploma or Less$36,800
Bachelor's Degree$38,367
Some College/ Associate Degree$38,902

Quality technician education FAQs

Search for quality technician jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse architecture and engineering jobs