How much do qc analysts make in 2026?
QC analysts are counted in the BLS chemical technicians series: OEWS May 2025 gives SOC 19-4031 a national median of $60,390 a year ($29.03 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $41,740 and the top 10% at $92,040 across 57,540 workers. That code covers laboratory technicians across chemicals, energy, materials and pharmaceuticals, and QC analysts in a GMP environment sit above its median. The difference is not the analytical chemistry, which is much the same everywhere — it is the regulatory framework around it. A pharmaceutical QC analyst runs validated methods under Good Manufacturing Practice, tests raw materials, in-process samples, finished product and stability batches, and every result becomes part of the record that permits a batch to be released or requires it to be rejected. That means contemporaneous documentation, full data integrity expectations under the ALCOA principles, and formal out-of-specification investigations when a result does not conform. Analysts who can conduct and defend an OOS investigation, who understand method validation, and who have been through an inspection are considerably more valuable than those who can only run the instrument. Employment is projected to grow 3.7% through 2034 with roughly 6,700 openings a year. → Full qc analyst career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $60,390 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- QC Analysts earn a national median $60,390/yr ($29.03/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-4031); the P10 to P90 range is $41,740 to $92,040.
- The analytical chemistry is similar everywhere; what raises GMP QC pay above the pooled chemical technician median is the regulatory framework around the result.
- Every result forms part of the batch record that permits release or requires rejection, which imposes contemporaneous documentation and full data integrity expectations.
- Analysts who can conduct and defend an out-of-specification investigation, understand method validation and have been through an inspection are the ones who reach the upper part of the band.
US QC Analyst Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do qc analysts earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 19-4031; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 19-4031, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a qc analyst earn at each career stage?
QC analyst pay follows method breadth and investigation capability. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 19-4031.
By State
Which states pay qc analysts the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the national chemical technician median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Pharmaceutical QC roles exist where manufacturing and testing sites are, which concentrates them in a small number of states regardless of general wage levels.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($69,450), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay qc analysts the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by that state's published metro index. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations. Life sciences manufacturing clusters carry these positions and pay above the general chemical technician market.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a qc analyst’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does qc analyst pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. QC Analysts sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify qc analyst wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a qc analyst actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
QC Analyst Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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