# Quality Control Systems Managers

> Plan, direct, or coordinate quality assurance programs. Formulate quality control policies and control quality of laboratory and production efforts.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/quality-control-systems-managers
- SOC code: 11-3051.01
- Career family: Management
- Median annual pay: $126,060 (10th percentile $78,000, 90th percentile $205,520)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.6%
- Openings a year: 17,000
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Industrial production managers".

## Interest profile (code CEI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 43 |
| Investigative (I) | 52 |
| Artistic (A) | 5 |
| Social (S) | 18 |
| Enterprising (E) | 68 |
| Conventional (C) | 74 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 95/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 95/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 91/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 91/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 89/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 89/100)
- Getting Information (importance 84/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 83/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 82/100)
- Processing Information (importance 81/100)

## Skills

Judgment and Decision Making, Quality Control Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Monitoring, Speaking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Critical Thinking

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, Education and Training, English Language, Chemistry, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, Public Safety and Security, Computers and Electronics

## Also called

Construction Quality Control Manager, Product Quality Director, Quality and Food Safety Manager, Quality and Process Improvement Manager, Quality Assurance Coordinator (QA Coordinator), Quality Assurance Director (QA Director), Quality Assurance Manager (QA Manager), Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor), Quality Control Director (QC Director), Quality Control Manager (QC Manager)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Business/Commerce, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5201) (CIP 5201, 975 colleges)
- [Engineering-Related Fields](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1515) (CIP 1515, 230 colleges)
- [Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5120) (CIP 5120, 175 colleges)
- [Industrial Engineering](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1435) (CIP 1435, 151 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [Northeastern University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northeastern-university-1923) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $142,985 | $21,908 |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Industrial Engineering | $95,993 | $138,720 | $13,992 |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | not reported | $136,840 | not reported |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |

## Related careers

- [Quality Control Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/quality-control-analysts): $62,280 median pay
- [Validation Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/validation-engineers): $102,440 median pay
- [Industrial Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-engineers): $102,440 median pay
- [Industrial Production Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-production-managers): $126,060 median pay
- [Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/software-quality-assurance-analysts-and-testers): $104,300 median pay
- [Manufacturing Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/manufacturing-engineers): $102,440 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.