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The differences between test managers and quality assurance consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a test manager and a quality assurance consultant. Additionally, a test manager has an average salary of $92,297, which is higher than the $86,486 average annual salary of a quality assurance consultant.
The top three skills for a test manager include QA, project management and java. The most important skills for a quality assurance consultant are QA, manual test cases, and regression.
| Test Manager | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $92,297 | $86,486 |
| Hourly rate | $44.37 | $41.58 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 27,489 | 91,395 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A test manager is responsible for supervising the content of test activities and ensuring that the scope meets the test requirements. Test managers monitor the test process and determine the accurate strategies to establish efficient methods for the success of test deliveries. They also identify the resources according to quality standards and budget limitations. A test manager oversees the technical controls of the test processes and measures the quality of tools and applications for optimal automation.
A quality assurance consultant specializes in recommending and optimizing quality-control procedures ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They typically conduct research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current quality control operations, implement solutions on problem areas, review policies and regulations, and coordinate with other staff to gather necessary data, analyzing them to find new opportunities for improvement. Furthermore, as a quality assurance consultant, it is essential to recommend solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its mission and vision.
Test managers and quality assurance consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Manager | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Average salary | $92,297 | $86,486 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $119,000 | Between $67,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | Southern California Edison |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a test manager and a quality assurance consultant in terms of educational background:
| Test Manager | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between test managers' and quality assurance consultants' demographics:
| Test Manager | Quality Assurance Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.7% Female, 28.3% | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |