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2017 QP Salary Survey

Part 1 Regular Employee Results
Section 2 Salary by Certification

Certification Certainty
If you’re earning more than other for full-time employees in the United
quality professionals holding similar States. In the
U
job titles, there’s a good chance that an The annual salary survey has Cana nited State
da (co s and
ASQ certification is among the factors always addressed the variable of qualit mbin
y eng ed) a
that put you in that higher-paid position. certifications and salaries, and an AS in
Q-cer eer who is
Each year, the Quality Progress Salary 2011’s report provided a deeper of qu tified
ali ma
Survey report shows that ASQ certifica- analysis of how certifications and excel ty/organiz nager
lence ation
tions tend to have a positive influence higher pay interact. In short, 19.4% ea al
more rns a sizab
on the paychecks of those who hold certifications bring the greatest engin than q le
ee ua
them. rewards when they belong certifi rs without lity
cation that
While a single certification is good, to professionals whose work .
many professionals find that, up to a corresponds to a certification
point, more is better. Figure 1 shows they hold.
how an increasing number of ASQ The best proxy the salary survey
certifications correlates with higher pay gives for the nature of a professional’s

FIGURE 1 work is their job title, and over the years

Salary by number of ASQ certifications held

we’ve found that when a job title and
an ASQ certification are a good match,
the average person holding that combi-

by U.S. respondents nation tends to make more money than

others in the same position but without
116,338 116,747 the certification. Each year, we select a
$120,000
99,283
103,563 103,955 few of these combinations to highlight.
$100,000 87,748
93,576
This year’s pairings are shown in Table 1.
Average salary

$80,000 For example, a quality engineer who

is an ASQ-certified manager of quality/
$60,000
organizational excellence earns a siz-
$40,000 able 19.4% more than quality engineers
without that certification. Likewise, an
$20,000
auditor who is also an ASQ-certified
0 quality auditor outearns other auditors
None One Two Three Four Five Six or more
(48.8%) (29.4%) (12.5%) (5.4%) (2.3%) (0.9%) (0.7%) by $9,915, or 13.2%.
Number of ASQ certifications
Note that while in some past years
(percentage of respondents) we have built this table using only
Figure 1 includes results for: x Full-time employees, Part‑time employees, x U.S. employees,
respondents from the United States,
Canadian employees, International employees in 2016, we began viewing U.S. and

36 QP December 2017 ❘ qualityprogress.com

TA B L E 1

Differences in salary for ASQ certification

Average Average Salary
Number of Percentage
Job title Certification without with premium,
respondents premium
certification certification U.S. $
Manager of quality/
Quality engineer 80 $84,111 $100,461 $16,351 19.4%
organizational excellence
Manager of quality/
Manager 201 96,905 108,526 11,621 12.0
organizational excellence
Manager of quality/
Director 96 129,481 140,571 11,090 8.6
organizational excellence
Manager Six Sigma Black Belt 83 97,588 114,973 17,385 17.8
Black Belt Six Sigma Black Belt 58 93,913 106,726 12,812 13.6
Quality engineer Six Sigma Black Belt 50 85,115 95,346 10,231 12.0
Director Six Sigma Black Belt 35 131,192 141,410 10,218 7.8
Inspector Quality inspector 37 48,024 53,324 5,300 11.0
Manager Quality engineer 235 96,772 107,451 10,679 11.0
Quality engineer Quality engineer 318 82,117 91,202 9,084 11.1
Director Quality engineer 72 130,343 140,185 9,842 7.6
Auditor Quality auditor 81 75,368 85,283 9,915 13.2
Quality engineer Quality auditor 171 83,649 93,439 9,790 11.7
Specialist Quality auditor 65 74,497 82,604 8,107 10.9

Table 1 includes results for: x Full-time employees, Part‑time employees, x U.S. employees,
x Canadian employees, International employees
Note: Because U.S. and Canadian salaries are being viewed together, Canadian salaries have been converted to U.S. dollars using
the exchange rate in effect July 1, 2017.

Canadian respondents together for
this and other analyses. We made this
decision after finding that by adding
the Canadian results to those from the
United States, we had larger signifi-
cance values (due to larger numbers
in our subsets), without changing the
direction of the correlation.
We broke apart the responses for the
two countries to build Tables 2 (U.S.
respondents, pp. 38-39) and 3 (Cana-
dian respondents, pp. 40-41), in which
we show average salaries by job title
and ASQ certification.
Of course, ASQ is not the only
certifying body in the world of quality.
The affiliated organization Exemplar
Global also provides certifications
respected worldwide, and several that
are specifically designed for countries
outside of North America. The body
that became Exemplar Global was earlier called RABQSA, and that set
of initials resulted when, in 2004, the Quality Society of Australasia
(QSA) acquired the U.S.-based Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB).
As you might guess, some of Exemplar Global’s certifications are tied
to compliance requirements of Australia and some Asian countries.
Exemplar Global’s certifications, however, also are held and valued
in North America. We show the average salaries of holders of those
certifications by job title in the United States (Table 4, pp. 42-43) and
Canada (Table 5, p. 43).
An auditor who is also
an ASQ-certified quality
auditor outearns other
auditors by $9,915, or
13.2%.

qualityprogress.com ❘ December 2017 QP 37

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2017 QP Salary Survey

TA B L E 2 – P A R T A

Salary by ASQ certification and job title for U.S. respondents

Manager Pharmaceutical Quality
Biomedical Calibration HACCP of quality/ Quality Quality Quality
GMP improvement
auditor technician auditor organizational auditor engineer inspector
professional associate
excellence

All respondents $118,91968 $74,87352 $94,959 41 $117,187487 $123,64823 $100,095936 $103,715872 $74,096177 $72,955157
Analyst — — 53,500 2
72,740 5
— 73,395 21
81,423 11
72,364 4
62,5002
Associate — — — — — 69,02120 86,750 4 50,48512 —
Auditor 114,7717 — 67,0002 99,1676 110,0002 84,76577 106,81916 66,30412 81,3336
Black Belt n=1 95,5002 n=1 112,9229 — 97,30010 96,10012 132,5002 86,2502
Calibration — 57,62414 — — — — — — 48,6673
technician
Champion — — — 110,5002 — — — n=1 —
Consultant n=1 n=1 n=1 124,547 11
n=1 132,850 20
116,002 7
92,500 2
n=1
Coordinator — 83,9002 — 93,091 3 — 64,33917 n=1 47,89813 69,1605
Director 149,46213 — 136,8336 141,604 89 162,0745 138,65393 141,04869 110,6949 133,0007
Educator/ — — — 106,575 4 — 96,9836 100,2005 n=1 n=1
instructor
Green Belt — — — — — — n=1 n=1 —
Inspector — 46,000 2
— 92,500 2
— 82,975 6
72,600 5
55,487 11
53,55536
Manager 112,88514 98,6899 96,79915 109,041187 112,10510 101,549270 108,075220 86,639 42 86,07621
Master — — — 165,7508 — 154,9867 134,36810 — —
Black Belt
Other 73,5002 — 82,500 4 117,925 4 — 90,32711 109,57010 n=1 65,0003
Process/
manufacturing/ 108,0002 84,7572 — 113,7605 n=1 109,05010 101,18028 78,5297 67,671 3
project engineer
Quality engineer 107,35317 84,0836 n=1 101,34977 n=1 93,887168 91,976308 79,21924 91,44930
Reliability/ n=1 — — 126,500 4 — 117,1676 121,35116 — n=1
safety engineer
Software quality — — — 129,3758 — 120,2527 108,8007 n=1 —
engineer
Specialist 98,0405 88,0003 62,0002 104,60715 100,8333 81,79555 85,73116 70,7276 61,4005
Statistician — — — n=1 — 125,000 2
133,633 7
— —
Supervisor — 77,167 3
55,581 4
80,725 5
— 83,787 27
91,669 18
61,720 10
63,5717
Supplier quality
engineer/ 114,7502 n=1 89,5002 101,34719 — 96,66955 95,02771 80,2174 81,2147
professional
Technician — 53,5947 — n=1 — 52,13026 55,50011 50,12713 45,61617
Vice president/ 152,6673 — n=1 173,64822 — 179,72722 178,71119 n=1 —
executive

Table 2 includes results for: x Full-time employees, Part‑time employees, x U.S. employees, Canadian employees, International employees
n = 1 indicates that data in a cell are from a single respondent and were suppressed to shield personally identifiable information.
All rows for which no cell had data from more than one respondent have been suppressed to shield personally identifiable information.
Superscript numbers denote the number of respondents.
GMP = good manufacturing practice
HACCP = hazard analysis and critical control point

38 QP December 2017 ❘ qualityprogress.com

TA B L E 2 – P A R T B

Salary by ASQ certification and job title for U.S. respondents

Quality Six Sigma Software
Quality Reliability Six Sigma Six Sigma Six Sigma
process Master quality None
technician engineer Black Belt Green Belt Yellow Belt
analyst Black Belt engineer

All respondents $78,24472 $75,568296 $122,922101 $147,05319 $114,414337 $90,853267 $84,12828 $125,384 82 $87,7482,223
Analyst 61,500 4
n=1 — — 86,300 10
77,698 13
51,500 2
118,500 2
70,67885
Associate 45,1673 — — — n=1 65,6673 — — 55,49436
Auditor 88,2992 64,4005 92,5002 — 94,0003 85,7508 54,7502 101,5002 71,58566
Black Belt n=1 86,250 2
n=1 — 108,279 54
99,778 9
— n=1 93,54231
Calibration — 62,5562 — — — — — — 52,37212
technician
Champion — — — — 115,0002 — — — 102,2138
Consultant n=1 n=1 — — 131,56715 107,000 4 — 123,9003 108,26340
Coordinator 30,1333 59,9229 n=1 — n=1 68,3869 — — 57,20374
Director 122,500 2
116,988 13
152,182 11
171,667 6
142,187 34
110,455 15
105,000 2
160,850 10
129,020190
Educator/ n=1 n=1 n=1 — 90,9202 114,0006 n=1 — 92,37023
instructor
Green Belt — n=1 — — n=1 62,2879 — — 65,84222
Inspector 38,8002 62,13219 — — — n=1 — — 44,39966
Manager 97,05016 91,74766 117,21620 117,4005 116,04178 97,63676 94,1655 124,70914 94,847611
Master — n=1 154,0005 154,0005 144,96621 — — 132,5002 137,48613
Black Belt
Other n=1 n=1 n=1 — 77,5002 59,500 4 86,7842 n=1 79,541 33
Process/
manufacturing/ 117,5002 68,7887 115,3336 — 105,95922 94,83911 n=1 120,750 4 83,67570
project engineer
Quality engineer 82,75916 80,22966 114,51012 — 95,34650 87,61551 79,7005 96,36613 81,658328
Reliability/ — n=1 119,51231 — 105,000 4 94,0002 — 123,5002 109,26712
safety engineer
Software quality — n=1 — — n=1 132,5002 — 124,28523 104,21819
engineer
Specialist 78,2147 69,19312 127,250 4 — 97,5205 80,32914 78,760 4 — 70,627163
Statistician — — 147,095 4
n=1 133,345 4
— — n=1 129,19418
Supervisor 63,0955 80,21311 — — 83,9005 69,638 4 63,3833 n=1 69,76882
Supplier quality
engineer/ — 88,87512 97,8122 — 87,7229 97,31318 n=1 — 85,11650
professional
Technician 52,4276 48,344 63 — — 55,0003 51,3676 — n=1 48,119102
Vice president/ — n=1 — 134,0002 180,56710 200,0002 — 247,5002 166,884 68
executive

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2017 QP Salary Survey

TA B L E 3 – P A R T A

Salary by ASQ certification and job title for Canadian respondents

Manager of quality/ Quality
Biomedical HACCP Quality Quality
organizational improvement
auditor auditor auditor engineer
excellence associate
All respondents $92,750 4 $73,3138 $101,77637 $86,86652 $88,184 60 $86,27218
Auditor n=1 — 100,000 2
83,400 5
95,000 3
—
Black Belt — — — n=1 75,000 2
—
Consultant — — — — 105,0002 95,6892
Coordinator — 69,0002 89,0002 82,3463 87,0002 78,5723
Director — — 127,4297 114,750 4 120,3333 n=1
Green Belt — — — — n=1 —
Inspector — — — — 42,333 3
—
Manager 98,5002 96,0003 101,64314 96,68614 96,21916 88,8577
Other — — — — n=1 —
Process/manufacturing/ — — — n=1 — —
project engineer
Quality engineer — — 82,5002 n=1 81,1673 —
Specialist n=1 — 77,667 3
68,333 3
74,855 11
94,5002
Supervisor — — — 126,5002 n=1 —
Supplier quality — n=1 93,000 4 87,05010 n=1 n=1
engineer/professional
Technician — n=1 118,8502 69,675 4 77,550 4 —
Supplier quality — — n=1 72,5992 67,800 4 —
engineer/professional
Technician — n=1 — n=1 62,9182 n=1

Table 3 includes results for: x Full-time employees, Part‑time employees, U.S. employees, x Canadian employees, International employees
n = 1 indicates that data in a cell are from a single respondent and were suppressed to shield personally identifiable information.
All rows for which no cell had data from more than one respondent have been suppressed to shield personally identifiable information.
Salaries are noted in Canadian dollars. Superscript numbers denote number of respondents.
HACCP = hazard analysis and critical control point

MONEY TALKS

What external factors do you foresee

having the biggest impact on quality?

“Trends come and go. New methods come every two or three
years. Basics never changed: Deliver a good product in the
amount, price and time established in the contract.”
Cesar Gonzales
Quality Manager
Curtiss-Wright
Windsor, CT

40 QP December 2017 ❘ qualityprogress.com

TA B L E 3 – P A R T B

Salary by ASQ certification and job title for Canadian respondents

Quality Quality Reliability Six Sigma Six Sigma Software quality
process None
technician engineer Black Belt Green Belt engineer
analyst
All respondents $87,9429 $74,47229 $119,7147 $100,40521 $89,19328 $97,6673 $85,638172
Auditor — n=1 — n=1 — — 80,500 4
Black Belt — — — 91,6005 — — 93,3972
Consultant n=1 n=1 — n=1 n=1 — —
Coordinator n=1 n=1 — 87,000 2
92,012 3
— 59,54010
Director — 114,6673 — n=1 118,3333 — 114,46213
Green Belt — — — — 101,500 2
— 71,0001
Inspector — n=1 — — n=1 — 51,0005
Manager 97,275 4 85,6673 n=1 98,3005 92,5008 97,6673 97,811 58
Other — — — n=1 — — 128,5002
Process/manufacturing/ — n=1 — n=1 n=1 — 53,3333
project engineer
Quality engineer n=1 n=1 — n=1 81,6673 — 81,1034
Specialist — 63,5006 — — 67,6673 — 87,50015
Supervisor — — 115,3333 — n=1 — —
Supplier quality n=1 78,950 4 — 102,5002 n=1 — 78,59121
engineer/professional
Technician — 68,7502 — — — — 64,000 4
Supplier quality — 68,5002 n=1 — — — 85,9502
engineer/professional
Technician n=1 53,0002 — — — — 52,15012

MONEY TALKS

What external factors do you foresee having

the biggest impact on quality?”

“Continued emphasis on lean and cutting costs

instead of satisfying customers. This is a cultural
issue. Short-term gain at the expense of long-term
mediocrity or lowering of quality is a problem.”
Pat Jameson
Quality engineer, chemical operations
Steris Corp.
Cleveland

qualityprogress.com ❘ December 2017 QP 41

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2017 QP Salary Survey

TA B L E 4 – P A R T A

Salary by Exemplar Global certifications for U.S. respondents

AS9100
AS9100 Food
aerospace aerospace Environmental Environmental HACCP HACCP
AS9100 safety Internal IPC QMS
industry system system lead practitioner practitioner
experience experienced auditor principal auditor auditor
auditor auditor auditor lead auditor
auditor auditor
auditor
Analyst — — $77,0002 — — — — — — —
Auditor — — 77,667 3
— $97,319 2
— — — $86,375 6
—
Director $118,467 3
$124,000 3
110,400 5
— 148,667 3
— — — 115,667 3
$127,5002
Manager 120,250 4 154,0002 105,98218 $90,300 4 119,0005 $125,0002 $87,0002 $125,0002 96,75736 —
Other — — — — — — — — 117,500 2
—
Process/
mfg./project — — — — — — — — 61,0002 —
engineer
Quality — — 98,75010 79,0002 54,5002 — — — 75,97116 —
engineer
Specialist — — 72,2502 — — — — — 74,4005 —
Supervisor — — — — — — — — 58,7805 —
Supplier
quality — — 73,0652 — — — — — 66,5652 —
engineer/
professional

Table 4 includes results for: x Full-time employees, Part‑time employees, x U.S. employees, Canadian employees, International employees
All rows for which no cell had data from more than one respondent have been suppressed to shield personally identifiable information.
HAACP = hazard analysis critical control point
IPC = integrated process control
mfg. = manufacturing
OHS = occupational health and safety
QMS = quality management system
Superscript numbers denote number of respondents.

MONEY TALKS

How is quality perceived in your organization? Why?

“As essential. It is the way we do business,
because we have top down leadership and
direction that reinforce quality principles
throughout the organization."
Heather Felton
Quality Assurance Manager
EyeKor, Inc.
Madison, WI

42 QP December 2017 ❘ qualityprogress.com

TA B L E 4 – P A R T B

Salary by Exemplar Global certifications for U.S. respondents

Management Security
IPC QMS Laboratory system QMS QMS management
OHS lead QMS QMS lead Skill
lead certification associate provisional systems
lead auditor assessor auditor auditor auditor examiner
body lead auditor auditor business
auditor improvement
Associate — — — — — $93,5002 — — —
Auditor — — — — — $92,000 5
107,24514 — — —
Consultant — — — — — 108,750 4
— — —
Coordinator — — — — 81,8723 68,3092 — — —
Director — — — — — 115,000 4
125,673 20
— $148,000 2
$172,5002
Manager $105,6336 $130,0002 $91,4717 $130,0002 — 90,37319 99,48454 $111,2502 — —

Process/
mfg./project — — — — — 108,0002 — — — —
engineer
Quality — — 79,5002 — $90,6273 104,3336 80,59526 137,8502 — —
engineer
Specialist — — — — — 67,750 4 70,5206 — — —
Supervisor — — — — — 73,075 2
63,750 4
— — —
Supplier
quality — — — — — 109,825 4 84,2337 — — —
engineer/
professional
Technician — — — — — — 46,4002 — — —
Vice
president/ — — 163,0002 — 228,0002 — — — — —
executive

Table 4 includes results for: x Full-time employees, Part‑time employees, x U.S. employees, Canadian employees, International employees
All rows for which no cell had data from more than one respondent have been suppressed to shield personally identifiable information.
IPC = integrated process control
OHS = occupational health and safety
QMS = quality management system
Superscript numbers denote number of respondents.

TA B L E 5

Salary by Exemplar Global certifications for Canadian respondents

Management
Environmental QMS
Environmental Internal system QMS QMS lead
system lead principal
system auditor auditor certification body auditor auditor
auditor auditor
lead auditor
Manager $81,5002 $97,0002 $96,6673 $95,6873 $107,354 4 $104,8249 $135,0002
Quality engineer — — — — — 72,5002 —
Specialist — — — — — 96,925 4
—

Table 5 includes results for: x Full-time employees, Part‑time employees, U.S. employees, x Canadian employees, International employees
All rows for which no cell had data from more than one respondent have been suppressed to shield personally identifiable information.
QMS = quality management system
Salaries are noted in Canadian dollars. Superscript numbers denote number of respondents.

qualityprogress.com ❘ December 2017 QP 43