What is the salary and career path for a quality engineer?
Quality engineer is a broad match to Industrial Engineers (SOC 17-2112), the code BLS uses for engineers who design and maintain quality systems in manufacturing; the OEWS May 2025 median is $102,440 a year ($49.25 an hour), from $74,370 at the 10th percentile to $159,860 at the 90th. BLS projects 11% growth for the code over 2024–2034 with about 25,200 openings a year. The role usually needs an engineering degree and is strongly signaled by the ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) credential.
- Quality Engineers earn a national median $102,440/yr ($49.25/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2112); the top 10% clear $159,860.
- It is a broad-match role: BLS Industrial Engineers (SOC 17-2112) is the code that captures quality engineers at a $102,440 median, distinct from quality-control inspectors (SOC 51-9061) who execute inspections.
- An engineering or strong technical degree is typical, but the defining credential is the ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), with IATF 16949/AS9100 auditor training and a Six Sigma belt for advancement.
- BLS projects 11% growth for SOC 17-2112 through 2034 with about 25,200 openings a year; the ladder runs associate ($74,370) to quality engineer ($102,440 median) to supplier quality engineer ($129,250) to quality-engineering manager ($159,860 top decile).
Career Path
How do you become a quality engineer?
Quality technician / associate quality engineer
Running inspections, gauging and PPAP data collection and supporting corrective actions; entry pay sits near the 10th percentile of $74,370 for SOC 17-2112.
Quality engineer
Owning the quality system, APQP/PPAP, FMEA and corrective action for a product line around the $102,440 median for the code.
Senior / supplier quality engineer
Leading supplier qualification and complex corrective-action programs pays toward the 75th percentile of $129,250.
Quality engineering manager
Running the quality-engineering function and the quality-management system reaches the 90th percentile of $159,860.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays quality engineers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2112. National median: $102,440. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does quality engineer pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles quality engineers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: quality engineers rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +11% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly quality engineers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2112 (quality engineers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do quality engineers need?
The signature quality-engineering credential from ASQ, covering statistics, reliability, auditing, metrology and the quality system. See all state licences →
A four-year industrial, mechanical or manufacturing engineering degree is the common entry requirement.
Certified Quality Auditor for audit-heavy roles and a Six Sigma green/black belt for data-driven corrective action.
Auditor or internal-auditor training on IATF 16949, AS9100 or ISO 13485 for the applicable regulated supply chain.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do quality engineers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 17-2112
Salary Levers
How do quality engineers earn above the $102,440 BLS median?
Regulated industry
Aerospace, medical-device and automotive quality roles pay above general manufacturing, moving from the $74,370 band toward the $102,440 median
ASQ CQE and Six Sigma
The CQE plus a Six Sigma black belt moves pay toward the $129,250 seventy-fifth percentile
Supplier quality and audit scope
Owning supplier qualification and lead-auditor duties across a supply base commands a premium
Move into quality management
Running the quality-engineering function and the QMS is what reaches the $159,860 top decile
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a quality engineer worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 17-2112. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Quality Engineer Career, Frequently Asked Questions
Quality Engineer career research journey
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