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The differences between associate test engineers and quality assurance leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an associate test engineer and a quality assurance lead. Additionally, a quality assurance lead has an average salary of $94,758, which is higher than the $73,445 average annual salary of an associate test engineer.
The top three skills for an associate test engineer include test results, C++ and test cases. The most important skills for a quality assurance lead are QA, test cases, and test plan.
| Associate Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $73,445 | $94,758 |
| Hourly rate | $35.31 | $45.56 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 39,846 | 82,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
In the information technology industry, an Associate Test Engineer specializes in developing and implementing test structures to assess software and systems, ensuring they adhere to project requirements and quality standards. They work under the supervision and directives of a senior test engineer. Their responsibilities often include: understanding the clients' needs and preferences, analyzing systems. reviewing documents. troubleshooting issues. identifying and fixing bugs, producing detailed reports and summaries.
Moreover, an Associate Engineer usually works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for optimal services.
A quality assurance lead, also known as QA Lead, is responsible for conducting necessary quality tests and analyses for software program and development. As a quality assurance lead, they must take the lead in ensuring quality during development by proactively performing critical evaluations, troubleshooting, and providing precise documentation. It is also essential to identify issues and resolve them as soon as possible. Furthermore, a quality assurance lead must maintain an active line of communication and coordination as most of the work will be in a team setting.
Associate test engineers and quality assurance leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average salary | $73,445 | $94,758 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $91,000 | Between $72,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between an associate test engineer and a quality assurance lead in terms of educational background:
| Associate Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between associate test engineers' and quality assurance leads' demographics:
| Associate Test Engineer | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1% | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |