How to become a quality control technician
Official title: Quality control technician
Also called: Quality assurance technician, Quality control analyst, Quality control assessor, Quality assurance assistant, Manufacturing quality technician, Quality assurance manager, Quality technician
Quality control technicians inspect raw materials and manufactured products to make sure they meet specifications and quality standards.
Main tasks
- Inspect materials and products
- Measure products
- Test products for quality
- Record inspection results
- Read work orders for quality requirements
- Mark products
- Adjust testing tools
- Monitor equipment
How to become one
You usually learn on the job to become a quality control technician and a qualification and experience may be useful. You usually don't need specific NCEA levels for this job, but Level 3 may be useful. Other requirements: a relevant tertiary qualification in science and maths studies, biological sciences, chemical sciences or similar area; experience in similar work.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in chemistry. TEC links this job to study in chemical sciences. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Applied Science, Cert in Science and Technology. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $53,000 a year one year after study; 40% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Advanced certificates and diplomas in other biological sciences. TEC links this job to study in biological sciences. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Applied Science, NZ Dip in Environmental Management, NZ Dip in Embalming. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $42,000 a year one year after study; 50% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Advanced certificates and diplomas in other sciences. TEC links this job to study in other science and maths studies. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Applied Science, Dip in Science. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $54,000 a year one year after study and $68,000 five years after; 47% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $61,000 to $94,000 a year (median $75,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Lower: $51,000 a year · Upper: $119,000 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Strong increase (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 2,400 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
Related jobs
- Safety engineer
- Validation engineer
- Quality control analyst
- Maintenance supervisor
- Appliance service technician
- Maintenance engineer
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Questions people ask
How do I become a quality control technician?
You usually learn on the job to become a quality control technician and a qualification and experience may be useful. You usually don't need specific NCEA levels for this job, but Level 3 may be useful. Other requirements: a relevant tertiary qualification in science and maths studies, biological sciences, chemical sciences or similar area; experience in similar work.
How much does a quality control technician earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $75,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $61,000 to $94,000 a year.
Has the number of people working as a quality control technician grown in New Zealand?
It has grown strongly: TEC records a strong increase in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026