What are the costs associated with Certification?
If you are not an ASQ member, the fee for the exam is $419.
If you are an ASQ member, the fee is $269 – a $156 discount.
To become an ASQ member costs either $143 or $85 depending on which level of member you want to be. Here is a link to ASQ’s membership Benefits page.
And yes – I would highly recommend you become an ASQ member beyond the obvious reason of saving money on the certification.
Also, I’d encourage you to compare the cost of Certification ($419) versus the wage difference between a Certified Quality engineer & their non-certified peers below.
Do CQE’s typically get paid more?
Yes! According to the most recent survey conducted by ASQ, Quality Engineers that hold a certification earn on average 10.2% higher pay than their non-certified peers.
I do want to strongly stress that in my opinion becoming a Certified Quality Engineer means nothing.
Becoming a Certified Quality Engineer and leveraging your new knowledge & tools to make a tangible difference, means everything! You have to use the skills & tools that you learn about before someone will pay you more!
It is very difficult to leverage a CQE certification into more pay, if the certification is not bearing fruit for your organization.
As you study, you must, must, must be looking for ways to leverage your new information into tangible results.
Below is a video regarding the 27th ASQ Salary Survey. Additionally, according to the latest survey, Hiring Managers responded that Quality Engineers are still the number 1 Position that they are looking to fill in the upcoming year.
How long has the certification existed?
In 1968 the first CQE certification exam was given and since then over 120,000 people have be certified through ASQ.
ASQ itself was established in 1946 and traces its roots to the end of World War II. Since then ASQ has played a key role in maintaining and continually improving Quality standards.
Why Should I become A Certified Quality Engineer
First, and you may have missed it above, but in the most recent ASQ Annual Survey, Hiring Managers responded that Quality Engineers are still the number 1 Position that they are looking to fill in the upcoming year.
So if you’re interested in working in Quality, the best opportunities are in Quality Engineering.
Second, it pays to become a Certified Quality Engineer (QE). This is also data from the recent ASQ Annual Survey that revealed that Certified QE’s earn 10% more than their non-certified QE peers.
Third, it’s fantastic for not only your resume, but for the overall value that you provide as an employee, and in the long run, it’s this value that’s going to keep you employed, get your promoted and build you the career that you’re interested in!
What Industries Employ CQE and What do they Do?
If you’re familiar with the CQE Body of Knowledge, you know that a Certified Quality Engineer’s job can range widely from developing new products or services, to control products/processes or improving processes & ensuring quality. A CQE can utilize their knowledge in many different industries including:
- Automotive
- Aviation, Space & Defense
- Pharmaceuticals
- Biomedical (Medical Devices)
- Industrial Equipment
- Energy Industry (Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Chemical, etc)
- Engineering & Construction Firms
- Food, Drug & Cosmetics
Have I truly answered the question in the heading? No, I was vague on purpose. This is because the Certified Quality Engineer can end up doing many different things, in many different industries!
Other Cool Stuff I wanted to Mention!
If you’re looking for more information, or what to connect with others like yourself, check out the CQE Academy LinkedIn Group