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Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Quality Inspection/Control Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Quality Inspection/Control Manager in the United States is $120,990 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $58.

However, a Quality Inspection/Control Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $146,781
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $111,790 to $134,490
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $103,414

Key Factors That Influence Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salaries

A Quality Inspection/Control Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Quality Inspection/Control Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Inspection/Testing Team Lead (10+ years): $84,055
  • Inspection/Testing Supervisor (10+ years): $99,655
  • Quality Inspection/Control Manager (10+ years): $120,968
  • QC Senior Manager (10+ years): $134,237
  • QC Director (10+ years): $168,506
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Inspection/Testing Team Lead10+ years$84,055
Inspection/Testing Supervisor10+ years$99,655
Quality Inspection/Control Manager10+ years$120,968
QC Senior Manager10+ years$134,237
QC Director10+ years$168,506

Top Paying Cities for Quality Inspection/Control Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $152,590
  • San Francisco: $150,990
  • Oakland: $147,790

What Skills Can Increase a Quality Inspection/Control Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Quality Management (Mentioned in 4.91% Job Postings): Quality management ensures that an organization, product or service is consistent. It has four main components: quality planning, quality assurance, quality control and quality improvement. Quality management is focused not only on product and service quality, but also on the means to achieve it. Quality management, therefore, uses quality assurance and control of processes as well as products to achieve more consistent quality. What a customer wants and is willing to pay for it determines quality. It is written or unwritten commitment to a known or unknown consumer in the market . Thus, quality can be defined as fitness for intended use or, in other words, how well the product performs its intended function
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.83% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Financial Services Industry (Mentioned in 0.98% Job Postings): Financial services is a broad term used to describe the various offerings within the finance industry–encompassing everything from insurance and money management to payments and digital banking technology.
Skills Demand Percentage
Quality Management 4.91%
Microsoft Office 1.83%
Financial Services Industry 0.98%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Quality Inspection/Control Manager's salary.

  • Operational Risk: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
  • Change Control: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Financial Services Industry: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Operational Risk $143,978
19%
Change Control $134,299
11%
Financial Services Industry $133,089
10%

Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Quality Inspection/Control Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $135,211. While startup companies pay approximate $114,375.

Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $114,375
Growth Stage 51~500 $120,963
Established 501~5000 $130,564
Enterprise 5000+ $135,211

Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Quality Inspection/Control Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 24% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 12% above the average. In contrast, Quality Inspection/Control Manager positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Quality Inspection/Control Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Quality Inspection/Control Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$135,509$65.012%

How Education impacts a Quality Inspection/Control Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Quality Inspection/Control Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Quality Inspection/Control Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $119,647 and $127,818).

Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Quality Inspection/Control Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.2%
High School 20.0%
Associates 13.2%
Bachelors 49.1%
Masters 14.6%
Doctorate 1.9%

Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Quality Inspection/Control Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$111,790
Average $120,990/year
$134,490
$9,316
Average $10,083/month
$11,208
$2,150
Average $2,327/week
$2,586
$54
Average $58/hour
$65
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $134,490 $11,208 $2,586 $65
Average $120,990 $10,083 $2,327 $58
25th Percentile $111,790 $9,316 $2,150 $54

Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Quality Inspection/Control Manager, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Quality Inspection/Control Manager Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Construction Engineering Inspection Services Manager $107,800 -11%
Food Safety & Compliance Senior Manager $164,600 36%
QC Senior Manager $134,300 11%

Most common benefits for Quality Inspection/Control Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Quality Inspection/Control Manager

Here are companies hiring for Quality Inspection/Control Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Quality Inspection/Control Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Quality Inspection/Control Manager?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Quality Inspection/Control Manager roles, with salaries approximately 12% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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