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The differences between associate testers 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 tester and a quality assurance lead. Additionally, a quality assurance lead has an average salary of $94,758, which is higher than the $74,863 average annual salary of an associate tester.
The top three skills for an associate tester include test results, test data and java. The most important skills for a quality assurance lead are QA, test cases, and test plan.
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $74,863 | $94,758 |
| Hourly rate | $35.99 | $45.56 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 35,159 | 82,242 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An associate tester is in charge of performing quality assurance tests on materials, ensuring the quality adheres to the company's standards and regulations. In the information technology industry, it is their duty to develop software test structures, maintain records of all results, gather and analyze data, review documents, troubleshoot issues, and prepare comprehensive reports according to the company's protocols. Furthermore, an associate tester must maintain an active communication line with teams, coordinating for a smooth and efficient workflow.
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 testers and quality assurance leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average salary | $74,863 | $94,758 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $102,000 | Between $72,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Morgan Stanley | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Retail |
There are a few differences between an associate tester and a quality assurance lead in terms of educational background:
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between associate testers' and quality assurance leads' demographics:
| Associate Tester | Quality Assurance Lead | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.4% Female, 32.6% | 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% |