PART ONE

R E G U L A R E M P L O Y E E R E S U LT S

Section 4 Salary by ASQ or RABQSA Certification

Number of ASQ certifications

(percentage of respondents)

FIGURE A

Salary by Number of ASQ Certifications

For U.S. Respondents

One
certification
(61.1%)

71,865

Two
certifications
(23.2%)

72,438

Three
certifications
(10%)

75,143

Four
certifications
(3.7%)

79,848

Five or more
certifications
(2%)

84,667
$0

Number o ASQ certifications

(percentage of respondents)

FIGURE B

$30,000
$60,000
Average salary

$90,000

Salary by Number of ASQ Certifications

For Canadian Respondents

One
certification
(64.6%)

64,924

Two
certifications
(25%)

67,118

Three
certifications
(8.3%)

80,167

Four
certifications
(2.1%)

76,500
$0

$30,000
$60,000
Average salary (Canadian dollars)

$90,000

esides going back to school and getting a

higher education, quality professionals often
better themselves and their pocketbooks by earning ASQ and RABQSA International (formerly
Registrar Accreditation Board and Quality Society
of Australasia, now merged) certifications. Slightly
more than half (50.5%) of U.S. respondents and
slightly less than half (48.6%) of Canadian respondents are ASQ certified. Of the 50.5% of U.S. respondents who are ASQ certified, 38.9% have
earned two or more certifications, as Figure A
shows. Of the certified Canadian respondents,
35.4% have two or more certifications, as Figure B
shows. Figures A and B show another interesting
trend: In general, the more ASQ certifications, the
higher the respondents average salaries.
Fewer respondents have received RABQSA certifications. Only 11.7% of U.S. respondents and
13.5% of Canadian respondents have at least one
RABQSA certification. Of the certified U.S. respondents, 25% have more than one RABQSA certification, as Figure C shows. Of the certified Canadian
respondents, 40% have earned more than one
RABQSA certification, as Figure D shows. Unlike
Figures A and B, Figures C and D dont show more
certifications correlate to higher average salaries.
This likely reflects the fact there were so few respondents with RABQSA certificationsonly 553
respondents reported they have RABQSA certifications, whereas 2,350 respondents indicated they
have ASQ certifications.

FIGURE D

Salary by Number of RABQSA

Certifications for U.S. Respondents

One
certification
(75%)

71,162

Two
certifications
(17.3%)

75,107

Three
certifications
(5.1%)

65,987

Four
certifications
(1.4%)

66,571

Number of RABQSA certifications

(percentage of respondents)

Number of RABQSA certifications

(percentage of respondents)

FIGURE C

Salary by Number of RABQSA

Certifications for Canadian Respondents

One
certification
(60%)

68,341

Two
certifications
(25%)

58,540

Three
certifications
(10%)

59,250

Five or more
certifications
(5%)

70,000
$0

Five or more
certifications
(1.2%)

76,333
$0

$30,000
$60,000
Average salary

$90,000

$30,000
$60,000
Average salary (Canadian dollars)

$90,000

Note: Figures A, B, C and D dont include results for part-time employees, and the
percentages might not equal 100% due to rounding. Categories in which there were
no respondents arent included.
QUALITY PROGRESS

I DECEMBER 2005 I 41

2005 SALARY SURVEY

TABLE A

Differences in Salary for ASQ Certifications

Job title

United States
Average
salary Difference

Associate
No ASQ certification
Certified quality improvement associate

$54,012
42,833

-$11,179

Auditor
No ASQ certification
Certified quality auditor
Certified quality auditorbiomedical
Certified quality auditorHACCP*

$55,591
60,583
75,000
68,000

+$4,992
+19,409
+12,409

$52,989
64,911

Black Belt
No ASQ certification
Certified Six Sigma Black Belt

$76,562
80,525

+$3,963

$85,000
80,000

-$5,000

Inspector
No ASQ certification
Certified mechanical inspector

$43,017
42,858

-$159

Manager
No ASQ certification
Certified quality manager

$72,864
82,412

+$9,548

$74,369
75,485

+$1,116

Quality engineer
No ASQ certification
Certified quality engineer

$62,494
67,304

+$4,810

$57,982
57,806

-$176

Reliability/safety engineer
No ASQ certification
Certified reliability engineer

$76,093
86,046

+$9,953

Software quality engineer

No ASQ certification
Certified software quality engineer

$80,513
83,881

+$3,368

$63,000
65,000

+$2,000

Technician
No ASQ certification
Certified calibration technician
Certified quality technician

$39,625
55,715
41,668

+$16,090
+2,043

$39,607

42,429

+$2,822

TABLE B

Canada (Canadian dollars)

Average
salary Difference

+$11,922

Differences in Salary for RABQSA Certifications

Job title

United States
Average
salary
Difference

Auditor
No RABQSA certifications
$57,799
AS 9100 aerospace experience auditor 79,250
AS 9100 auditor
61,900
EMS** auditor
49,333
EMS lead auditor
58,000
Environmental auditor
48,667
QMS*** auditor
63,000
QMS internal auditor
58,333
QMS lead auditor
68,077
QMS provisional auditor
57,500
RABQSA IATCA**** QMS auditor
30,000
RABQSA IATCA QMS senior auditor

+$21,451
+4,101
-8,466
201
-9,132
+5,201
+534
+10,278
-299
-27,799

Canada (Canadian dollars)

Average
salary Difference
$62,926

59,000
55,000
35,000
57,000

55,000

-3,936
-$7,926
-27,926
-5,926

-7,926

Note: Tables A and B dont include results for part-time employees. Categories in which there were no respondents arent included. Comparisons do not reflect any other potential factors on respondents salaries.

I DECEMBER 2005 I www.asq.org

Money
Matters
U.S. respondents who are ASQ
certified earn an average salary of

* Hazard analysis and critical control points

** Environmental management systems
*** Quality management systems
**** International Auditor and Training Certification Assn.

42

Table A explores how selected ASQ

certifications might affect the average
salaries of U.S. and Canadian respondents. Table B performs the same exploration for RABQSA certifications.
In general, the respondents who have
received a certification that relates
directly to their job earn a higher average salary than their counterparts
without any certifications. However,
these comparisons dont take into
account other factors that might affect
respondents salaries.
Tables C and D (p. 44) break down
respondents salaries by ASQ certifications and job titles. Because there
are 12 ASQ certifications, the information is divided into two tables. Table
C contains the information for the
auditing and engineering related ASQ
certifications. Table D contains the
information for the remaining ASQ
certifications. In Section 16 of the
online report (www.asq.org), youll
find tables reporting RABQSA certifications and the salaries of respondents in all job categories.

$72,880, whereas their uncertified

counterparts earn an average
salary of $71,744, as shown in
Tables C and D (p. 44). Similarly,
Canadian respondents who are
ASQ certified earn an average
salary of $66,984, whereas their
uncertified counterparts earn an
average salary of $66,639 (see
Tables C and D).

TABLE C

Salary by Auditing and Engineering Related ASQ Certifications and Job Title
Certified
quality
auditor

United States
All respondents
Analyst
Associate
Auditor
Black Belt
Champion
Consultant
Coordinator
Director
Educator/instructor
Inspector
Manager
Master Black Belt
Process/manufacturing/
project engineer
Quality engineer
Reliability/safety engineer
Software quality engineer
Specialist
Supervisor
Supplier quality engineer/
professional
Technician
Vice president/executive

978

$72,350
59,428
59,481
60,583
77,652
55,000
89,726
53,282
96,324
64,250
55,147
77,887
96,244

24
8
105
14
1
31
40
78
8
13
292
8

14

65,493
68,657
84,380
77,143
63,729
62,868

163
5
7
64
41

30

Certified
quality
auditor
biomedical

$82,092
,
,
75,000
108,000
,
101,000
,
95,500
,
,
78,979
,
,
71,000
,
,
94,750
47,268

20

1
1

2
2

Certified quality
auditorHACCP*

$78,389
41,900
,
68,000
,
,
92,000
,
150,000
,
,
66,011
,
,
,
,
,
76,500
,

,
,
,

,
40,000
136,000

$69,124
56,000
67,300
64,911
,
100,833
58,333
107,125
65,000
,
73,632
,

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

$53,667
,
,
,
,
,
61,000
,
,
,
50,000
,

,
60,088
,
49,723
100,000

,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,
,
,

,
,
,

,
50,000
,

68,261
39,053
128,192

19
13

18

1
2

Certified
quality
engineer

$77,796
76,232
68,000
67,803
74,666
55,000
87,568
76,699
103,380
73,062
45,000
81,329
102,437

903

11
2
18
26
1
19
8
64
5
2
255
26

75,665
67,304
84,685
81,833
76,144
68,261

36

72,862
49,350
128,347

46

$69,067
51,500
,
67,005
63,333
125,000
60,000
120,500
,
30,000
86,706
67,500

63

294
13
9
14
24

12
18

Certified
reliability
engineer

$89,827
88,000
,
,
96,750
,
80,657
,
128,424
,
,
90,342
100,600

110

91,537
76,441
86,046
107,500
106,000
85,000

79,986
,
165,000

$75,000
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
95,000
,
55,000
,

24
5

21
29
2
1
2

Certified
software
quality
engineer

$85,636
66,806
99,000
70,000
102,333
,
89,500
81,900
129,667
,
,
90,094
90,000

120

100,000
76,630
74,000
83,881
82,419
93,500

80,000
45,000
,

$82,000
,
,
,
,
103,000
,
,
,
,
,
,

8
1
1
3

4
5
6

17
1

16
1
45
5
2

Canada (Canadian dollars)

All respondents
Analyst
Associate
Auditor
Black Belt
Consultant
Coordinator
Director
Educator/instructor
Inspector
Manager
Master Black Belt
Process/manufacturing/
project engineer
Quality engineer
Software quality engineer
Specialist
Supervisor
Supplier quality engineer/
professional
Technician
Vice president/executive

59

1
2
10

3
3
2
1

19

3
1

75,000
40,667
78,000

3
2

70,125
57,806
,
53,000
55,000

,
35,500
101,000

2
3
1
4
2

2
17
2

4
17

3
1

2
1

,
,
,
,
,

,
,
65,000
,
78,000

,
,
,

,
,
,

* Hazard analysis and critical control points

Note: Table C doesnt include results for part-time employees. Small numerals indicate the number of responses.
Categories in which there were no respondents arent included.
QUALITY PROGRESS

I DECEMBER 2005 I 43

2005 SALARY SURVEY

TABLE D

Salary by Nonauditing and Nonengineering ASQ Certifications and Job Title

Certified
calibration
technician

Certified
mechanical
inspector

Certified
quality
improvement
associate

Certified
quality
manager

Certified
quality
technician

Certified
Six Sigma
Black Belt

None

United States
39

All respondents
$62,085
Analyst
,
Associate
,
Auditor
49,100
Black Belt
,
Champion
,
Consultant
92,000
Coordinator
44,667
Director
,
Educator/instructor
107,000
Inspector
,
Manager
72,510
Master Black Belt
,
Process/manufacturing/
project engineer
,
Quality engineer
71,000
Reliability/safety engineer 72,500
Software quality engineer
,
Specialist
45,250
Supervisor
59,500
Supplier quality engineer/
professional
,
Technician
55,715
Vice president/executive
,

1
3

11

1
1

2
3

14

Canada (Canadian dollars)

All respondents
$65,000
Analyst
,
Associate
,
Auditor
,
Black Belt
,
Consultant
,
Coordinator
,
Director
,
Educator/instructor
,
Inspector
,
Manager
,
Master Black Belt
,
Process/manufacturing/
project engineer
,
Quality engineer
65,000
Reliability/safety engineer
,
Software quality engineer
,
Specialist
,
Supervisor
,
Supplier quality engineer/
professional
,
Technician
,
Vice president/executive
,

$56,290
38,800
71,500
60,000
68,000
55,000
72,500
50,273
87,000
78,500
42,858
68,914
77,500

197

3
2
3
1
1
1
10
3
2
25
36
2

84,493
58,048
72,500
,
51,958
55,909

60,680
39,925
142,500

$46,500
,
46,000
,
,
,
44,000
,
,
,
,
,

,
49,500
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

39
1

13
11

34
2

$59,140
53,459
42,833
54,643
,
,
78,800
53,942
95,500
58,050
32,710
71,574
,

159

15
12
7

5
14
6
4
2
37

63,500
56,858
,
62,667
54,344
44,367

75,000
40,754
89,000

$57,000
56,000
,
,
,
,
47,000
,
,
,
70,000
,

16

3
16
3

14
1

,
,
,
,
,
,
,
55,000
,

$85,411
76,409
85,680
74,324
83,377
,
89,507
76,547
101,091
78,600
,
82,412
101,479
74,980
70,594
84,900
89,286
85,145
73,426

I DECEMBER 2005 I www.asq.org

11
1
10
11

16
11
93
5

211
14

12
62
5
7
11
10

72,100
41,250
119,438

$81,397
80,000
62,600
71,700
,
96,875
75,383
133,125
95,000
,
75,485
,

32

82,000
50,000
,
,
,
100,000

,
,
55,000

Note: Table D doesnt include results for part-time employees. Small numerals indicate the number
of responses. Categories in which there were no respondents arent included.
44

513

2
16

1
1
2

4
3
2
1

14

$55,450
49,760
61,667
55,944
64,103
55,000
82,167
50,610
82,000
78,500
42,819
66,079
85,000
65,250
56,103
,
88,000
51,838
51,688

345

5
3
9
7
1
3
21
8
2
16
69
1

4
78

1
18
15

59,704
41,668
165,000

10

$54,408
,
46,000
,
,
,
50,643
116,000
,
,
61,250
,

31

73
1

7
1

52,000
51,500
,
,
50,200
55,000

58,750
42,429
78,000

2
1

7
2

$86,363
76,000
56,000
,
80,525
86,000
94,801
86,500
108,640
,
,
83,072
94,160

222

86,030
73,000
81,600
100,000
,
82,000

10

82,381
45,000
123,714

$80,333
,
,
,
80,000
125,000
60,000
98,000
,
,
72,750
,

12

,
68,000
,
,
,
,
,
,
102,000

1
1

42
1
8
3
19

54
29

32
5
1

1
7

2
1
2
1

$71,744
54,998
54,012
55,591
76,562
107,576
88,074
56,684
96,871
88,378
43,017
72,864
101,494

2,163

73
25
63
45
6
53
103
241
22
33
642
22

67,258
62,494
76,093
80,513
59,461
60,462

56

66,451
39,625
129,774

53

$66,639
58,300
50,333
52,989
85,000
67,000
52,893
96,969
40,000
38,250
74,369
70,000

152

59,000
57,982
105,000
63,000
59,057
55,806

,
39,607
146,100

290
10
31
120
100

95
80

6
3
6
1
1
15
16
1
4
47
1

17
1
1
9
8

7
2