Quality Assurance Associate Degrees: Best Programs, Jobs, and Salaries

If you are interested in studying quality assurance, then read on to find out about the best associate degree programs that can educate you in this career path both in-person and online. You will also learn about the career options you can pursue once you graduate and the average annual salaries for different positions.

What Is Quality Assurance?

Quality assurance (QA) refers to the procedures used to verify that a product complies with the imposed quality standards. These processes help a company meet the expectations and needs of its customers and be recognized for this.

What Is a Quality Assurance Associate Degree?

An

Associate Degree

in Quality Assurance is a two-year program designed to teach students about the processes involved in maintaining the efficiency, quality, and effectiveness of a company’s products or services. These programs are taught using the different existing methodologies to make recommendations based on data.

Quality Assurance Associate Degree Requirements

Essentially, a high school diploma is the only program requirement to enroll in an associate degree. However, it is necessary to comply with the admission process required by each university, which may vary from one university to another. To earn an Associate Degree in Quality Assurance you will need to have 60 credit hours.

How Much Does a Quality Assurance Associate Degree Cost?

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the annual cost of tuition at a two-year institution is

an average of $42,30

. The cost will vary significantly depending on the university you choose to enroll in.

Quality Assurance Associate Degree Financing Options: How to Pay for Your Quality Assurance Degree

You can consider several options when paying for your associate degree, such as financial aid, grants, and loans. Many schools also offer scholarships based on academic achievements or financial needs.

Best Quality Assurance Associate Degree Programs and Schools: Overview

Best Colleges for Quality Assurance: Top Quality Assurance Associate Degree Programs

The following are the best options to consider for studying for a Quality Assurance associate degree, along with each school’s curriculum. All the information in this article can be found on each school’s official website.

Associate of Applied Science, Quality Technician | Anoka Technical College

Anoka Technical College has been in operation since 1967 and offers more than 70 degree programs. In this Quality Technician program, you will acquire the knowledge necessary to carry out processes involved in the manufacturing of any product. In addition, you will earn 15 Minnesota Transferable Credits.

Associate of Applied Science in Engineering Technology, Quality Assurance/Quality Control Technology Concentration | Chattanooga State College

Chattanooga State College is one of the best community colleges in Tennessee and claims to have a 99 percent job placement rate. This program focuses on teaching its students about the procedures that guarantee the reliability of products and systems, meeting the quality standards for different industries, detecting defects that arise, and being able to solve them effectively.

Cuyahoga Community College is a top ten military-friendly school located in Ohio. This program qualifies you to use various technologies with which you can perform software maintenance using programming. You will be able to perform testing and detect and report system failures. You will also be prepared to take industry certification exams.

Associate of Applied Sciences in Quality Assurance Technology | Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University was established over a century ago and since then offers a wide variety of programs. During this program, you will acquire skills that can be applied in different companies. Some of these include designing, planning, and employing quality processes for organizations. You will also learn to perform cost and quality studies of these processes.

Associate of Applied Science in Manufacturing Technology | Ferris State University

Students in this program get to learn through hands-on projects related to manufacturing technologies. Students are taught to work with precision and have the opportunity to find careers in roles such as machinists, toolmakers, and quality technicians. There is an option to move on to the Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Technology after completing the associate program.

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Associate Degree in Quality Management Systems | Goodwin University

Most Goodwin University students get a job within six months of graduation. In this program, you will learn about the different techniques used today in manufacturing and the processes that are necessary to ensure the quality of the products. You will gain problem-solving and teamwork abilities and statistical process control skills.

Associate of Science in Quality Assurance | Herkimer State University of New York

Herkimer State University of New York offers more than 40 associate degrees and certificate programs with a 62.5 percent student transfer rate to continue their education. This program focuses on developing quality control skills in different industries that may belong to various sectors to meet the required quality standards and procedures.

Associate Degree in Quality Engineering Technology | Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee Area Technical College offers more than 170 degree programs and 95 percent of their associate degree graduates get a job within six months. During the program, you will learn about the different methodologies that exist for inspection and failure detection, reducing waste, and improving manufacturing processes to meet product quality standards and norms.

Tidewater Community College has been in operation for 50 years and has been one of the region’s leading schools since 1968. This program focuses on teaching the processes from planning and designing product quality evaluation systems for different types of companies. Upon graduation, you will have acquired the skills necessary to identify failures and solve problems.

Associate of Applied Science in Quality Management | Waukesha County Technical College

Waukesha County Technical College is a leading school in the Wisconsin region and offers over 150 areas of study. In this program offered by Waukesha County Technical College, you will learn about quality management. You will also develop skills to carry out quality assurance processes efficiently and effectively.

Best Online Quality Assurance Associate Degree Programs and Schools: Overview

Best Colleges for Quality Assurance: Top Online Quality Assurance Associate Degree Programs

Sometimes online learning can be the best option if you need a more flexible approach to education. If you want to study quality assurance online, here are some of the best Associate Degrees in Quality Assurance that you can earn remotely.

During this program, you will learn about the basic knowledge a qualified technician must have to ensure that companies meet quality standards. You will perform these activities by applying the engineering skills you will gain in the program.

Associate of Applied Science in Quality Engineering Technology | Fox Valley Technical College

The Fox Valley Technical College program is designed to teach students about the quality and inspection procedures that must be followed in the manufacturing of a product. During the program, you will learn to use different problem-solving methodologies such as Six Sigma, 8D, and PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act).

Associate Degree, Quality Assurance Technician | Lakeshore Technical College

This program offered by Lakeshore Technical College will help you learn about the processes of systematic monitoring and evaluation of the stages developed in any company when offering its products or services to customers.

Associate of Science, Quality Assurance Technician | Wisconsin Technical College

Wisconsin Technical College is a group of schools administered by the state of Wisconsin that consists of 16 public institutions. They offer an online associate degree in Quality Assurance that will teach you how to conduct tests, create quality assurance policies and standards, and use data analysis to evaluate the performance of a product.

What’s the Average Quality Assurance Associate Degree Salary?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for a quality assurance specialist is $110,140. This depends on the degree of responsibility, their experience in the field, and the location.

Top Quality Assurance Associate Degree Jobs and Salaries: Overview

In the following table, you will find information regarding the top jobs you can get with a quality assurance associate degree. All the data used in this section comes from BLS and PayScale.

Best Quality Assurance Associate Degree Jobs Explained

Quality Assurance Director

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $116,317
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  22%*
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  1,847,900*
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Washington, California, New York*

Quality assurance managers are in charge of a company’s quality assurance department during the manufacturing process. Their duties include implementing strategies that ensure that products are of high quality and perform effectively. They need to have previous experience in the industry to work in this position. It’s one of the most lucrative leadership roles in the QA industry.

Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality assurance analysts are in charge of testing an organization’s software to ensure it works properly. They may also work in a manufacturing company to improve processes, making them efficient, and maintaining product quality.

Quality Assurance Manager

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $81,436
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  22%*
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  1,847,900*
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Washington, California, New York*

These professionals are responsible for ensuring that the products or services offered by a company meet the established standards and manufacturing principles, following quality standards for each type of area in which they work. They are also in charge of supervising the work of others and forming work teams.

Quality Assurance Engineer

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $71,364
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  22%*
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  1,847,900*
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Washington, California, New York*

Quality assurance engineers

are in charge of the continuous testing of a company’s software and control its effectiveness, focusing on the details and working as a team to detect and solve the problems that arise.

Quality Assurance Specialist

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $60,938
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  -12%**
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  557,900**
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Alaska, District of Columbia, North Dakota**

Regardless of their industry, quality control specialists are trained to ensure the quality and usability of a company’s products and services. They must be detail-oriented and able to work as part of a team with other organization members.

Quality Assurance Supervisor

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $60,404
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  -12%**
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  557,900**
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Alaska, District of Columbia, North Dakota**

Quality assurance supervisors oversee and coordinate the activities carried out by workers to comply with the processes necessary to ensure the continuous improvement of the company’s products.

Quality Assurance Auditor

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $59,927
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  -12%**
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  557,900**
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Alaska, District of Columbia, North Dakota**

These professionals can work in a company as part of the quality assurance team. They are responsible for ensuring that standards of quality are followed and that the products offered by the company meet safety procedures.

Quality Assurance Coordinator

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $53,005
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  -12%**
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  557,900**
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Alaska, District of Columbia, North Dakota**

Quality assurance coordinators work under the director and ensure compliance with the procedures necessary to evaluate and guarantee the manufacturing quality of a company’s products. These products must meet quality policies set by government agencies. This role requires leadership skills, attention-to-detail, resilience, and problem-solving skills.

Quality Assurance Technician

• 
  Average Salary:
  
  $46,882
• 
  Job Outlook:
  
  -12%**
• 
  Number of Jobs:
  
  557,900**
• 
  Highest-Paying States:
  
  Alaska, District of Columbia, North Dakota**

Quality assurance technicians work under the direction of the quality assurance manager. They are in charge of implementing quality inspection techniques, developing advanced quality planning strategies, conducting quality tests on the products, and reporting them to their superiors. They need good communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills.

Quality Control Inspector

Quality assurance inspectors are in charge of performing the necessary tests on the products offered by a company to detect any defect and ensure that they comply with manufacturing quality standards. They can work in different manufacturing areas, and their specific activities depend on the area in which they work.

*Based on Bureau of Labors Statistics data on Software Developers and Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers

**Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data on Quality Control Inspectors

Quality Assurance Bootcamp vs Quality Assurance Associate Degree: Which Is Better?

If you want to study quality control and are wondering whether you should enroll in a bootcamp or an associate degree program, you should choose the option that best fits your career goals and needs. Although a bootcamp is much shorter than an associate degree program, the bootcamp does not go as in-depth, which can be very influential when it comes to applying for a job.

Benefits of a Quality Assurance Associate Degree

• 
  Specializing.
  
  When you study in an associate degree program, you can gain field-specific knowledge that will help you acquire the unique skills necessary to get a job.
• 
  Opportunities.
  
  With an associate degree, you will have a great chance of getting a job because of the value placed on a college degree.
• 
  Continue studying.
  
  Most of these programs offer the possibility of continuing your studies by transferring the college credits you earn to a
  
  bachelor’s degree
  
  program.
• 
  Cost.
  
  An associate program can cost you practically half the price of a bachelor’s degree. In addition, they usually offer different types of financial aid to help you pay the tuition fees.
• 
  High earning potential.
  
  By earning an associate degree, you will be able to apply for jobs that offer a higher salary because you have a college degree.

Benefits of a Quality Assurance Bootcamp

• 
  Curriculum.
  
  In a bootcamp, you will learn the necessary skills more efficiently than in a longer degree program.
• 
  Schedule.
  
  Most bootcamps offer a flexible schedule. You can choose the one that allows you to do other activities while you study.
  
  
• 
  Cost.
  
  A bootcamp is cheaper than an associate program and also offers different types of financial assistance.
• 
  Time.
  
  The duration of a bootcamp can vary from a few months to a year, but it is much faster than obtaining a college or university degree.
• 
  Online.
  
  Most bootcamps are online, so you can do them from anywhere and adjust your studies alongside your work and other activities.

Should You Get an Associate Degree in Quality Assurance?

Consider enrolling in an associate program if you are looking for a program that does not take four years or more to complete. An associate program will take you two years to complete and still gives you a valuable college accreditation to any company. An Associate Degree in Quality Assurance can lead to careers in quality control in a wide variety of industries.

Quality Assurance Associate Degree FAQ