Quality Control Analysts: Career Profile
Conduct tests to determine quality of raw materials, bulk intermediate and finished products. May conduct stability sample tests.
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What Tasks Do Quality Control Analysts Take On?
Typical responsibilities of quality control analysts span:
- Conduct routine and non-routine analyses of in-process materials, raw materials, environmental samples, finished goods, or stability samples.
- Interpret test results, compare them to established specifications and control limits, and make recommendations on appropriateness of data for release.
- Calibrate, validate, or maintain laboratory equipment.
- Ensure that lab cleanliness and safety standards are maintained.
- Perform visual inspections of finished products.
- Complete documentation needed to support testing procedures, including data capture forms, equipment logbooks, or inventory forms.
- Compile laboratory test data and perform appropriate analyses.
- Identify and troubleshoot equipment problems.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top quality control analysts draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Quality Control Analysts Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Chemistry Quality Control Analyst (Chemistry QC Analyst)
- Chemistry Quality Control Technician (Chemistry QC Technician)
- Data Quality Analyst
- IT Quality Control Analyst (Information Technology Quality Control Analyst)
- Lab Analyst
- Lab Technician (Lab Tech)
- Laboratory Analyst
- Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech)
How Many Quality Control Analysts Are There?
The U.S. employs around 93,809 quality control analysts working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +12.9% over the projection horizon.
Quality Control Analysts Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $53,423 |
| Hourly median | $25.68 |
| 10th percentile | $33,159 |
| 25th percentile | $43,291 |
| 75th percentile | $63,554 |
| 90th percentile | $73,686 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Quality Control Analysts Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $75,780 |
| Oklahoma | $73,940 |
| Connecticut | $72,090 |
| District of Columbia | $70,680 |
| Washington | $70,650 |
| Alaska | $68,600 |
| Maryland | $67,040 |
| North Carolina | $66,090 |
| North Dakota | $65,800 |
| Georgia | $65,070 |
| Vermont | $63,960 |
| Massachusetts | $62,610 |
| New York | $62,500 |
| Colorado | $62,180 |
| Wyoming | $61,740 |
| Kansas | $61,740 |
| Indiana | $61,610 |
| Virginia | $61,470 |
| Rhode Island | $61,160 |
| Kentucky | $60,340 |
| West Virginia | $60,250 |
| South Carolina | $59,900 |
| Maine | $59,690 |
| Mississippi | $59,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,590 |
| New Hampshire | $57,880 |
| Florida | $57,840 |
| New Mexico | $57,180 |
| New Jersey | $56,950 |
| Oregon | $55,890 |
| Illinois | $54,720 |
| Arkansas | $54,290 |
| Nevada | $53,990 |
| Alabama | $53,910 |
| Utah | $52,400 |
| Missouri | $52,400 |
| Nebraska | $52,000 |
| Michigan | $51,400 |
| Montana | $50,510 |
| Texas | $48,550 |
| Louisiana | $48,240 |
| Idaho | $47,870 |
| Tennessee | $47,520 |
| Arizona | $47,330 |
| Minnesota | $47,130 |
| Ohio | $46,540 |
| Hawaii | $45,710 |
| Wisconsin | $44,120 |
| Iowa | $44,040 |
| South Dakota | $41,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,710 |
Where Quality Control Analysts Earn the Most
Earnings for quality control analysts vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $70,824 | 19.9% | 1.39 |
| New England | $62,638 | 2.0% | 1.00 |
| Middle Atlantic | $61,924 | 21.0% | 1.58 |
| Southeast | $59,820 | 22.6% | 1.17 |
| Rocky Mountains | $56,011 | 5.8% | 1.50 |
| Plains States | $51,642 | 8.4% | 1.29 |
| Great Lakes | $51,001 | 7.1% | 0.52 |
| Southwest | $49,985 | 12.4% | 1.11 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $112,040 | 50 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | OK | $106,850 | 240 |
| Spartanburg, SC | SC | $105,350 | 260 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | GA | $86,350 | 150 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | CA | $82,290 | 70 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $81,030 | 1,880 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $80,100 | 2,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $79,360 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of quality control analysts work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 21,830 | $60,130 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 16,840 | $62,460 |
| Manufacturing | 8,800 | $62,990 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 5,980 | $46,750 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,050 | $59,370 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,210 | $60,980 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 730 | $64,720 |
| Finance and Insurance | 670 | $61,600 |
Quality Control Analysts work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Content workflow software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: JavaScript (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Microsoft ASP.NET (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of quality control analysts reflects the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Getting Started in This Career
Typical quality control analysts positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Quality Control Systems Managers (Primary-Short)
- Software Developers (Supplemental)
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers (Primary-Long)
- Penetration Testers (Supplemental)
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Industrial Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Validation Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for quality control analysts commonly pursue programs in:
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
4 programs across 2 majors
Science Technologies/Technicians
4 programs across 3 majors
Physical Sciences
3 programs across 2 majors
Social Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-4099.01 (Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other).
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