Quality technician vs quality supervisor

The differences between quality technicians and quality supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a quality technician, becoming a quality supervisor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a quality supervisor has an average salary of $60,486, 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 supervisor are continuous improvement, ISO, and corrective action.

Quality technician vs quality supervisor overview

	Quality Technician	Quality Supervisor
Yearly salary	$37,007	$60,486
Hourly rate	$17.79	$29.08
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	80,291	61,400
Job satisfaction	3	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	45	48
Years of experience	4	6

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 supervisor do?

A quality supervisor is an individual who manages and implements the quality assurance and control systems of a company to ensure the proper execution of products and customer satisfaction. Quality supervisors oversee a team of quality control analysts and train them on the latest product standards. They must make sure that customers are pleased with the finished product by communicating with them and setting realistic expectations. Quality supervisors must also provide reports on quality metrics to the other members of the management team.

Quality technician vs quality supervisor salary

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

	Quality Technician	Quality Supervisor
Average salary	$37,007	$60,486
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $50,000	Between $43,000 And $84,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	Richmond, CA
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	Amphenol	Intuitive Surgical
Best paying industry	Health Care	Automotive

Differences between quality technician and quality supervisor education

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

	Quality Technician	Quality Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Purdue University	Stanford University

Quality technician vs quality supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between quality technicians' and quality supervisors' demographics:

	Quality Technician	Quality Supervisor
Average age	45	48
Gender ratio	Male, 60.4% Female, 39.6%	Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4%
Race ratio	Black 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, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 9.2% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	6%	8%

Differences between quality technician and quality supervisor 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.

Quality supervisor example responsibilities.

Lead the TS16949 implementation team.
Research and involve respective departments to achieve immediate corrective/preventative action response to pertinent customer and internal CAPA's, as required.
Maintain effective work instructions and operating procedures for inspection, operations and supplier quality assurance per ISO requirements.
Develop KPIs for suppliers and document progress.
Participate in hosting customer, governmental, third party certifying body plant visits and perform all GMP internal audits.
Prepare documentation and training for ISO re-certification audits.

Quality technician vs quality supervisor skills

Common quality technician skills

Calipers, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%
Corrective Action, 4%
Continuous Improvement, 4%
ISO, 4%
Micrometers, 4%

Common quality supervisor skills

Continuous Improvement, 7%
ISO, 6%
Corrective Action, 5%
Quality Standards, 5%
Food Safety, 4%
Product Quality, 3%

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Quality Technician vs Quality Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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