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Industry and biotech

Quality Control Analyst

Tests raw materials and finished products such as medicines, foods and cosmetics to make sure each batch is safe and meets its specification.

Quality control analysts work in labs attached to factories that make medicines, vaccines, food and consumer products. It suits careful people who like routine lab work done exactly right and are comfortable following detailed procedures.

Also called Laboratory analyst, QC microbiologist or Quality control chemist.

At a glance

Way in
Bachelor's degree, often in chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmaceutical science and biomedical science
Pay in the US
$62,280 a year, the medianFor life, physical, and social science technicians, all other, the group O*NET places quality control analysts in, 2025
Pay in the UK
£25,000 starting to £40,000 with experienceFor a quality control assistant, the nearest National Careers Service profile
US outlook
Average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You like exact lab work, clear procedures and knowing every batch is safe

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a quality control analyst do?

  • Test samples of raw materials, intermediates and finished batches against set limits
  • Run methods such as HPLC, titration, microbial counts and endotoxin tests
  • Check stored products over time to confirm how long they stay stable
  • Record results under good manufacturing practice and investigate any failures
  • Calibrate equipment and help update test methods and procedures

Where they work

  • Pharmaceutical factories
  • Food and drink manufacturers
  • Cosmetics companies
  • Contract testing laboratories

Skills

The skills a quality control analyst needs

  • Analytical techniquesHPLC, spectroscopy, titration and microbiology
  • Good manufacturing practiceworking to strict quality rules
  • Accurate recordsclean data that can stand up to audit
  • Problem solvingfinding why a result is out of specification
  • Lab mathsdilutions, concentrations and standard curves
  • Teamworkworking with production and quality assurance

Route in

How to become a quality control analyst

  1. Earn a degree in chemistry, a life science or pharmaceutical science; some start through a lab apprenticeship
  2. Learn core lab techniques and good manufacturing practice in a placement or first job
  3. Join a QC lab as an analyst and get signed off on the site's test methods
  4. Move up to senior analyst, then into quality assurance, validation or lab management

Degrees people take

  • Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Pharmaceutical science
  • Biomedical science

Not every QC job asks for a degree: some labs take school leavers or apprentices as technicians and train them on the job.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

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Next to it

Careers to weigh against it

Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

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