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Quality control associate salary
Average quality control associate salary
$44,519
Understanding Quality Control Associate Salaries
A Quality Control Associate plays a vital role in ensuring products meet quality standards. The average salary for this position stands at $44,519 annually. Compensation can vary based on factors such as state, industry, and years of experience. For instance, states like California and Texas often offer higher salaries due to demand in manufacturing sectors.
In addition to salary, quality control associates can seek opportunities for growth by gaining specialized skills or certifications in quality assurance. Industries such as pharmaceuticals and food production frequently pay more due to their stringent quality requirements. Positions in management or supervisory roles can lead to salaries exceeding $60,000 annually, making this an attractive career path for those looking to advance.
Explore job listings in your area to see specific salary expectations and find a role that aligns with your career goals.
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Where can a Quality Control Associate earn more?
Quality control associate salary estimates from across the web
Average quality control associate salary by state
The average quality control associate salary in New York, Connecticut, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average quality control associate salary states are Utah, Texas, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for quality control associates
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $66,541 | $31.99 |
| 2 | North Carolina | $61,971 | $29.79 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $59,407 | $28.56 |
| 4 | Virginia | $64,561 | $31.04 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $60,220 | $28.95 |
| 6 | New York | $67,062 | $32.24 |
| 7 | Maryland | $59,834 | $28.77 |
| 8 | California | $58,066 | $27.92 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $56,464 | $27.15 |
| 10 | Indiana | $48,931 | $23.52 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $69,323 | $33.33 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $61,561 | $29.60 |
| 13 | Washington | $55,665 | $26.76 |
| 14 | Michigan | $46,232 | $22.23 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $45,332 | $21.79 |
| 16 | Vermont | $57,021 | $27.41 |
| 17 | Maine | $56,571 | $27.20 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $45,454 | $21.85 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $45,795 | $22.02 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $50,168 | $24.12 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $45,583 | $21.91 |
| 23 | Idaho | $47,794 | $22.98 |
| 24 | Ohio | $44,024 | $21.17 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $44,984 | $21.63 |
| 26 | Georgia | $43,481 | $20.90 |
| 27 | Alabama | $42,601 | $20.48 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $42,754 | $20.55 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $49,635 | $23.86 |
| 30 | Kansas | $43,989 | $21.15 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $44,768 | $21.52 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $44,033 | $21.17 |
| 33 | Delaware | $40,334 | $19.39 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $42,007 | $20.20 |
| 35 | Illinois | $42,682 | $20.52 |
| 36 | Utah | $38,002 | $18.27 |
| 37 | Iowa | $41,714 | $20.05 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $40,612 | $19.52 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $42,569 | $20.47 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $43,701 | $21.01 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $41,565 | $19.98 |
| 42 | Montana | $41,324 | $19.87 |
| 43 | Oregon | $38,393 | $18.46 |
| 44 | Missouri | $39,874 | $19.17 |
| 45 | Texas | $36,918 | $17.75 |
| 46 | Arizona | $38,396 | $18.46 |
| 47 | Colorado | $38,656 | $18.58 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $33,657 | $16.18 |
| 49 | Florida | $35,992 | $17.30 |
| 50 | Nevada | $33,785 | $16.24 |
| 51 | Alaska | $35,448 | $17.04 |
Highest paying cities for quality control associates
The highest-paying cities for quality control associates are New York, NY, Durham, NC, and Norwood, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $67,251 | $32.33 |
| 2 | Durham, NC | $63,810 | $30.68 |
| 3 | Norwood, MA | $61,731 | $29.68 |
| 4 | South San Francisco, CA | $61,440 | $29.54 |
| 5 | Rockville, MD | $59,513 | $28.61 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $56,144 | $26.99 |
| 7 | Indianapolis, IN | $48,576 | $23.35 |
| 8 | Memphis, TN | $46,502 | $22.36 |
| 9 | East Windsor, NJ | $44,985 | $21.63 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $43,653 | $20.99 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $43,110 | $20.73 |
| 12 | Grandview, MO | $39,281 | $18.89 |
| 13 | Boulder, CO | $38,515 | $18.52 |
| 14 | Goodyear, AZ | $38,445 | $18.48 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $37,305 | $17.94 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $35,921 | $17.27 |
Quality control associate salary details
A quality control associate's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $71,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a quality control associate's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| Average | $44,519 | $3,710 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying quality control associate jobs
The highest paying types of quality control associates are research and development scientist, lead quality control, and research and development chemist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemist | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31.23 | 20,221 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Research Chemist | $75,843 | $6,320 | $36.46 | 53,769 |
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
| Chemical Technician | $42,584 | $3,549 | $20.47 | 40,191 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
Top companies hiring quality control associates now:
Which companies pay quality control associates the most?
Quality control associate salaries at Eli Lilly and Company and Boehringer Ingelheim are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average quality control associate salary at companies like Bristol-Myers Squibb and Goldman Sachs are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eli Lilly and Company | $90,745 | $43.63 |
| 2 | Boehringer Ingelheim | $82,334 | $39.58 |
| 3 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $82,028 | $39.44 |
| 4 | Goldman Sachs | $79,920 | $38.42 |
| 5 | Santander Bank | $79,593 | $38.27 |
| 6 | Synechron | $78,083 | $37.54 |
| 7 | BlackRock | $75,812 | $36.45 |
| 8 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $74,304 | $35.72 |
| 9 | Biogen | $69,103 | $33.22 |
| 10 | Jefferies | $66,725 | $32.08 |
| 11 | Battelle | $65,282 | $31.39 |
| 12 | Genentech | $64,413 | $30.97 |
| 13 | Regeneron | $63,672 | $30.61 |
| 14 | Pwc | $63,573 | $30.56 |
| 15 | ABB | $62,523 | $30.06 |
| 16 | Advent Global Solutions | $60,610 | $29.14 |
| 17 | BioMarin | $60,521 | $29.10 |
| 18 | Duke University Health System | $59,132 | $28.43 |
| 19 | Sharp Decisions | $58,712 | $28.23 |
| 20 | Morgan Stanley | $58,658 | $28.20 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Quality Control Associate salary by industry
The average quality control associate salary varies across industries:
- The average quality control associate salary in the health care industry is $54,631, the highest of any industry.
- The average quality control associate salary in the finance industry is $51,897.
- Quality control associates in the technology industry earn an average salary of $41,399, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for quality control associates
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $54,631 | $26.26 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $51,897 | $24.95 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $49,886 | $23.98 |
| 4 | Technology | $41,399 | $19.90 |
High paying quality control associate jobs
Quality control associate salary trends
The average quality control associate salary has risen by $7,926 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average quality control associate earned $36,593 annually, but today, they earn $44,519 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for quality control associates over the last decade.
Compare quality control associate salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average quality control associate salary over time
Compare quality control associate salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Quality control associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,500 | $21.40 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $42,900 | $20.62 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $42,200 | $20.26 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $40,800 | $19.62 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | $39,100 | $18.78 | +1.6% |
Recently added quality control associate salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mintel | Quality Control Associate | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Staffmark Group | QC Microbiology Associate | Allentown, PA | 06/27/2025 | $56,349 |
| ZP Group | Quality Control Raw Materials Associate | Elkridge, MD | 06/27/2025 | $35,479 |
| Msccn | Quality Control Associate-1St. Shift-Pineville NC | Pineville, NC | 06/26/2025 | $40,000 |
| Bristol Myers Squibb | Associate, QC Analytical, Cell Therapy | Devens, MA | 06/25/2025 | $74,510 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Quality Control Associate I (WED-SAT) | Rockville, MD | 06/25/2025 | $46,415 |
| Charles River | Quality Control Associate I (SUN-WED) | Maryland | 06/25/2025 | $46,415 |
| Actalent | Associate Quality Control | West Greenwich, RI | 06/25/2025 | $48,001 |
| Staffmark Group | Quality Control Chemistry Associate | Irvine, CA | 06/21/2025 | $57,559 |
| Conduent Incorporated | Mailroom Quality Control Associate | Lexington, KY | 06/20/2025 | $31,305 |
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