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The differences between associate testers and senior test engineers 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 senior test engineer. Additionally, a senior test engineer has an average salary of $82,775, 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 senior test engineer are test cases, python, and java.
| Associate Tester | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $74,863 | $82,775 |
| Hourly rate | $35.99 | $39.80 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 35,159 | 245,814 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 senior test engineer is an individual who is responsible for developing and implementing cost-effective methods of testing and troubleshooting computer systems and equipment. Senior test engineers must assist junior engineers in developing test plans and conducting testing activities on complex systems to meet program requirements. They aid in the areas of predictability, manufacturing processing, and improvement in the equipment and process. Senior test engineers must also develop proposal inputs and reviews documents generated by junior engineers.
Associate testers and senior test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Tester | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $74,863 | $82,775 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $102,000 | Between $63,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Morgan Stanley | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an associate tester and a senior test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Associate Tester | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between associate testers' and senior test engineers' demographics:
| Associate Tester | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.4% Female, 32.6% | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% |
| 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% |