JobAfterNext

Quality Control Analysts

Conduct tests to determine quality of raw materials, bulk intermediate and finished products. May conduct stability sample tests.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Quality Control Analysts separately. These are the figures for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other (19-4099), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$62,280
Employment, U.S.73,910
Median hourly wage$29.94
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$39,000$48,030$62,280$79,780$102,690
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama350$59,5000.35
Alaska170$70,7001.10
Arizona420$58,2400.27
Arkansas350$59,3100.56
California10,090$78,3501.17
Colorado1,860$63,7601.37
Connecticut320$66,7100.40
Delaware90Not available0.39
District of Columbia150$79,2300.45
Florida1,830$63,1800.39
Georgia2,230$69,3200.96
Hawaii1,050$50,8803.53
Idaho550$50,6001.36
Illinois750$59,4100.26
Indiana750$48,6500.50
Iowa420$50,4800.57
Kansas880$65,2701.28
Kentucky320$68,2300.33
Louisiana1,610$53,3601.75
Maine390$66,7301.27
Maryland3,510$68,3902.67
Massachusetts1,140$63,8200.66
Michigan1,040$59,1000.50
Minnesota1,350$49,4100.97
Mississippi330$59,4900.60
Missouri2,100$50,4101.51
Montana130$52,2600.55
Nebraska300$48,6400.61
Nevada350$54,0700.47
New Hampshire360$64,2501.10
New Jersey2,140$55,9801.05
New Mexico180$56,4200.45
New York7,390$63,8101.61
North Carolina2,310$49,2000.98
North Dakota180$69,3500.87
Ohio1,020$49,2100.39
Oklahoma460$86,2600.57
Oregon1,690$60,8101.80
Pennsylvania2,630$57,6800.91
Rhode Island210$69,6300.87
South Carolina1,290$58,9601.17
South Dakota60$51,6300.28
Tennessee2,150$62,0501.38
Texas9,170$48,9601.37
Utah$59,290
Vermont160$63,4601.14
Virginia2,710$67,2401.39
Washington980$73,5300.58
West Virginia230$59,7500.68
Wisconsin1,070$47,2100.76
Wyoming220$64,5101.67

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Food Science Technicians30.964
2Chemical Technicians30.961
3Histotechnologists40.954
4Food Scientists and Technologists40.954
5Chemists40.953
6Nuclear Monitoring Technicians30.953
7Quality Control Systems Managers40.950
8Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping1-20.947
9Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers1-20.947
10Agricultural Inspectors1-20.946

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Quality Control Analysts, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Chemical TechniciansScience1.240.961
Forensic Science TechniciansActive Learning0.760.928
Nuclear Power Reactor OperatorsManagement of Personnel Resources1.000.928
Medical Appliance TechniciansRepairing1.500.925
Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersOperation and Control0.880.924
Nuclear TechniciansOperations Monitoring0.870.924
Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaManagement of Personnel Resources1.000.918

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Quality Control Analysts, excluding software Quality Control Analysts already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Microscopic image capturing software3 of 2046.2x
Laboratory information system LIS3 of 2015.4x
Statistical software4 of 204.6x
Structure query language SQL3 of 206.6x
Geographic information system GIS systems4 of 203.1x
Oracle Java5 of 202.3x
Graphics software3 of 202.7x
Dassault Systemes CATIA3 of 202.3x
R4 of 201.8x
Email software8 of 201.3x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 4.00 4.00
MonitoringEssential skill 3.75 3.88
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.75 3.88
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.38 3.75
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.38 3.25
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.25 3.62
WritingEssential skill 3.25 3.38
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.25 3.25
SpeakingEssential skill 3.12 3.62
Active LearningEssential skill 3.12 3.12
MathematicsEssential skill 3.00 3.25
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.00 3.12
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.75 3.00
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.75 2.88
ScienceEssential skill 2.75 2.88
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.75 2.88
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
InstructingTransferable skill 2.62 3.00
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.38 2.62
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.25 2.50
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 2.12 1.62
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 2.00
RepairingTransferable skill 1.88 1.38
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.88 1.12
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.38
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.75 0.75
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.62 1.12
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
InstallationTransferable skill 1.50 0.50
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Mathematics 4.17 4.58
Production and Processing 4.03 4.26
Chemistry 3.74 4.48
English Language 3.70 3.49
Administrative 3.30 3.71
Computers and Electronics 3.27 3.44
Mechanical 2.88 3.23
Food Production 2.88 2.82
Education and Training 2.87 3.51
Administration and Management 2.76 1.93
Public Safety and Security 2.72 2.75
Customer and Personal Service 2.71 2.38
Communications and Media 2.48 2.21
Law and Government 2.38 2.32
Physics 2.34 2.00
Telecommunications 2.34 1.44
Biology 2.33 2.11
Engineering and Technology 2.27 2.12
Personnel and Human Resources 2.23 1.45
Transportation 2.13 1.82
Design 1.89 1.35
Building and Construction 1.75 1.19
Psychology 1.69 0.97
Economics and Accounting 1.69 0.74
Geography 1.62 1.19
Therapy and Counseling 1.60 1.02
Sales and Marketing 1.57not rated
History and Archeology 1.57 0.88
Medicine and Dentistry 1.54not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.46 0.65
Foreign Language 1.45not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.40not rated
Fine Arts 1.24not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Near Vision 4.00 4.00
Written Comprehension 4.00 4.00
Oral Comprehension 3.88 4.00
Written Expression 3.88 3.88
Oral Expression 3.75 4.00
Deductive Reasoning 3.62 4.00
Problem Sensitivity 3.62 3.75
Inductive Reasoning 3.38 3.38
Far Vision 3.25 3.25
Flexibility of Closure 3.12 3.25
Information Ordering 3.12 3.25
Perceptual Speed 3.12 3.25
Mathematical Reasoning 3.12 3.12
Selective Attention 3.12 3.12
Speech Recognition 3.12 3.12
Speech Clarity 3.12 3.00
Category Flexibility 3.00 3.12
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.00 3.00
Finger Dexterity 3.00 3.00
Originality 2.88 3.12
Manual Dexterity 2.88 3.00
Number Facility 2.88 3.00
Fluency of Ideas 2.88 2.88
Visual Color Discrimination 2.88 2.88
Visualization 2.75 2.88
Memorization 2.75 2.75
Control Precision 2.75 2.62
Speed of Closure 2.75 2.62
Time Sharing 2.62 2.50
Trunk Strength 2.25 2.12
Hearing Sensitivity 2.12 2.12
Multilimb Coordination 2.12 2.12
Auditory Attention 2.12 2.00
Static Strength 2.12 2.00
Depth Perception 2.00 1.75
Gross Body Coordination 2.00 1.75
Stamina 2.00 1.75
Extent Flexibility 2.00 1.62
Reaction Time 2.00 1.25
Dynamic Strength 2.00 1.12
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.88 1.50
Rate Control 1.88 1.25
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.62 0.75
Response Orientation 1.62 0.75
Speed of Limb Movement 1.62 0.62
Explosive Strength 1.25not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 50
  • Hewlett Packard QuickTest Professional
  • IBM Notes
  • IBM Rational Functional Tester
  • IBM Rational Robot
  • LabWare LIMS
  • Laboratory information management system LIMS
  • Micro Focus TestPartner
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)
  • Microsoft Visual Studio Test Professional
  • Minitab
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • Parasoft SOAtest
  • Relational database management software
  • SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports
  • SmartBear Software AutomatedQA TestComplete
  • SmugMug Flickr
  • Test automation software
  • Watir
  • dBASE

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Quality Control Analysts separately. These are the figures for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other (19-4099), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Johnson City, TN3408.83$38,410
Jefferson City, MO3007.85$36,750
Ithaca, NY1607.20$46,640
State College, PA1805.39$64,210
Knoxville, TN8104.01$62,050
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY8003.77$60,590
Urban Honolulu, HI7503.54$50,630
Ponce, PR1003.24$29,900
Baton Rouge, LA5802.99$53,360
Columbia, SC5402.88$51,840

More metros, other thresholds