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Quality technician vs quality control engineer

The differences between quality technicians and quality control engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a quality technician and a quality control engineer. Additionally, a quality control engineer has an average salary of $70,845, which is higher than the $37,007 average annual salary of a quality technician.

The top three skills for a quality technician include calipers, quality standards and corrective action. The most important skills for a quality control engineer are product quality, quality standards, and corrective action.

Quality technician vs quality control engineer overview

Quality TechnicianQuality Control Engineer
Yearly salary$37,007$70,845
Hourly rate$17.79$34.06
Growth rate3%10%
Number of jobs80,291109,745
Job satisfaction34
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age4542
Years of experience44

What does a quality technician do?

Quality systems analysts are professionals who analyze the implemented quality standards of an organization's business procedures and policies. These analysts are required to execute test plans and resolve discrepancies with their technical personnel. They must coordinate all internal audits of the quality system while implementing corrective action to their audit findings. They are required to conduct weekly meetings with development staff to discuss defects and revised business requirements. Quality systems analysts must also identify the quality training needs for operations personnel working with supervisors and quality engineers.

What does a quality control engineer do?

A quality control engineer is responsible for conducting quality assessments for the company's products and services to ensure adherence to federal regulations and quality standards. Quality control engineers recommend strategic methods by analyzing processes and writing test results. They also identify opportunities for more services that meet public demands and market trends, helping the business generate more resources for revenues. A quality control engineer utilizes various software tools and applications to document findings, requiring them to have excellent communication and technical skills.

Quality technician vs quality control engineer salary

Quality technicians and quality control engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Quality TechnicianQuality Control Engineer
Average salary$37,007$70,845
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $50,000Between $53,000 And $94,000
Highest paying CityLos Angeles, CASan Rafael, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaWyoming
Best paying companyAmphenolIntuitive Surgical
Best paying industryHealth CareTechnology

Differences between quality technician and quality control engineer education

There are a few differences between a quality technician and a quality control engineer in terms of educational background:

Quality TechnicianQuality Control Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorBusinessMechanical Engineering
Most common collegePurdue UniversityJohns Hopkins University

Quality technician vs quality control engineer demographics

Here are the differences between quality technicians' and quality control engineers' demographics:

Quality TechnicianQuality Control Engineer
Average age4542
Gender ratioMale, 60.4% Female, 39.6%Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%4%

Differences between quality technician and quality control engineer duties and responsibilities

Quality technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead Kaizen events and utilize DMAIC, A3, VSM, COPQ, SIPOC, and FMEA to drive results.
  • Train test personnel and manage QC test technicians in a fast pace environment.
  • Interview, hire, and manage HEDIS temporary staff during annual HEDIS projects.
  • Manage and improve CAPA and MRB process by reducing quantity and value of material.
  • Manage RMA return process including issuance and closure of work orders and dispositions promptly.
  • Lead quality initiatives for two production lines via lean six sigma tools; root cause analysis , 8-D, and Kaizen.
  • Show more

Quality control engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage PPAP and quality process analysis for launch, cost reduction, quality improvement activities and efficiency improvement.
  • Develop and coordinate strategic relationships with international OEM and ODM partners to achieve business goals.
  • Acquire knowledge of vehicle wiring harness systems, fiber optics, CATIA, AutoCAD, PPAP, APQP.
  • Lead and participate in Kaizen events.
  • Implement and document CAPA to resolve failures during productions.
  • Execute statistical analysis of the QMS processes and its effectiveness.
  • Show more

Quality technician vs quality control engineer skills

Common quality technician skills
  • Calipers, 6%
  • Quality Standards, 5%
  • Corrective Action, 4%
  • Continuous Improvement, 4%
  • ISO, 4%
  • Micrometers, 4%
Common quality control engineer skills
  • Product Quality, 8%
  • Quality Standards, 6%
  • Corrective Action, 6%
  • ISO, 5%
  • Continuous Improvement, 5%
  • R, 5%

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