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The differences between supplier quality managers and quality assurance supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a supplier quality manager, becoming a quality assurance supervisor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a supplier quality manager has an average salary of $102,346, which is higher than the $66,145 average annual salary of a quality assurance supervisor.
The top three skills for a supplier quality manager include continuous improvement, supply chain and sigma. The most important skills for a quality assurance supervisor are food safety, product quality, and corrective action.
| Supplier Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $102,346 | $66,145 |
| Hourly rate | $49.20 | $31.80 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 63,918 | 82,301 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 48 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Supplier quality managers are professionals who are responsible for managing the day-to-day activities and operations of the supplier quality department. These managers are required to monitor the performance of suppliers while identifying potential issues to improve quality and efficiency. They must implement product and process improvement strategies so that they can increase customer satisfaction, employee morale, and organization value. Supplier quality managers must also develop and maintain a supplier quality system by certifying their suppliers to ensure continuous product flow.
A quality assurance supervisor oversees and leads the quality control operations within a manufacturing plant or similar establishment. They are primarily responsible for crafting and implementing policies that prioritize the efficiency of products or services, supervising and evaluating the performances of the workforce, and setting standards and procedures that align not just with the goals of the company, but the national and international level of production standards. Furthermore, as a supervisor in the field, it is crucial to encourage and shape quality assurance workers into valuable members of the company.
Supplier quality managers and quality assurance supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Supplier Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $102,346 | $66,145 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $135,000 | Between $46,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Bristol-Myers Squibb |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a supplier quality manager and a quality assurance supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Supplier Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between supplier quality managers' and quality assurance supervisors' demographics:
| Supplier Quality Manager | Quality Assurance Supervisor | |
| Average age | 48 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.0% Female, 18.0% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 9.3% White, 69.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 4.6% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |