Quality Improvement Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Quality Improvement Specialist make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Quality Improvement Specialist in the United States is $112,586 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $54.

However, a Quality Improvement Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $136,006
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $102,484 to $124,845
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $93,287
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View as table View as graph 25% $102,484 10% $93,287 90% $136,006 75% $124,845 $112,586 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Quality Improvement Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $124,845 $10,404 $2,401 $60
Average $112,586 $9,382 $2,165 $54
25th Percentile $102,484 $8,540 $1,971 $49
Check out Quality Improvement Specialist Job Openings in the United States
Specialist Quality Engineering

L3Harris Technologies - Cincinnati, OH

Specialist Quality Engineering

L3Harris Technologies - Crosstown, OH

Specialist Quality Engineering

L3Harris Technologies - Cincinnati Airport, OH

Director of Quality and Performance Improvement

Neighborhood Health Association - Toledo, OH

Search More Quality Improvement Specialist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Quality Improvement Specialist Salaries

A Quality Improvement Specialist'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Quality Improvement Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Quality Improvement Specialist'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $71,379
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $86,724
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $111,685
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $133,517
  • Expert (over 8 years): $123,848
Levels Salary
IT Qualit... Level Quality Improvement Specialist$71,379
IT Qualit... Level Quality Improvement Specialist$86,724
Quality I... Level Quality Improvement Specialist$111,685
IT Qualit... Level Quality Improvement Specialist$133,517
IT Qualit... Level Quality Improvement Specialist$123,848
$71,379 0 yr
$86,724 < 2 yrs
$111,685 2-4 yrs
$133,517 5-8 yrs
$123,848 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Quality Improvement Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Quality Improvement Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $124,655.
  • California: $124,182.
  • Massachusetts: $122,527.

Top Paying Cities for Quality Improvement Specialists

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: $142,005
  • San Francisco: $140,450
  • Oakland: $137,490

What Skills Can Increase a Quality Improvement Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.85% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Data Management (Mentioned in 2.73% Job Postings): Data Management comprises all disciplines related to managing data as a valuable resource. The concept of data management arose in the 1980s as technology moved from sequential processing (first cards, then tape) to random access storage. Since it was now possible to store a discreet fact and quickly access it using random access disk technology, those suggesting that data management was more important than business process management used arguments such as "a customer's home address is stored in 75 (or some other large number) places in our computer systems." However, during this period, random access processing was not competitively fast, so those suggesting "process management" was more important than "data management" used batch processing time as their primary argument. As software applications evolved into real-time, interactive usage, it became obvious that both management processes were important. If the data was not well defined, the data would be mis-used in applications. If the process wasn't well defined, it was impossible to meet user needs.
  • Software Testing (Mentioned in 1.72% Job Postings): Software testing is an investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the software product or service under test. Software testing can also provide an objective, independent view of the software to allow the business to appreciate and understand the risks of software implementation. Test techniques include the process of executing a program or application with the intent of finding software bugs (errors or other defects), and verifying that the software product is fit for use. Software testing involves the execution of a software component or system component to evaluate one or more properties of interest. In general, these properties indicate the extent to which the component or system under test: meets the requirements that guided its design and development, responds correctly to all kinds of inputs, performs its functions within an acceptable time, it is sufficiently usable, can be installed and run in its intended environments, and achieves the general result its stakeholders desire.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.85%
Data Management 2.73%
Software Testing 1.72%
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 Improvement Specialist's salary.
  • Data Governance: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
  • Data Science: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Data Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Data Governance
$129,474
15%
Data Science
$126,096
12%
Data Engineering
$123,845
10%
BI
$120,467
7%
Insight
$120,467
7%
Data Quality
$119,341
6%
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Quality Improvement Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Quality Improvement Specialist'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 May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Quality Improvement Specialist

Salaries for a Quality Improvement Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $104,771 in 2023 to around $104,084 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Quality Improvement Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Quality Improvement Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$104,771
2024
$104,895
2025
$104,084
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $104,771
2024 $104,895
2025 $104,084
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Quality Improvement Specialist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Quality Improvement Specialist

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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.)

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