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The differences between automation engineers and functional testers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an automation engineer and a functional tester. Additionally, an automation engineer has an average salary of $92,597, which is higher than the $76,647 average annual salary of a functional tester.
The top three skills for an automation engineer include python, java and PLC. The most important skills for a functional tester are java, test cases, and web application.
| Automation Engineer | Functional Tester | |
| Yearly salary | $92,597 | $76,647 |
| Hourly rate | $44.52 | $36.85 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 133,941 | 37,146 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An automation engineer takes charge of developing detailed design specifications and any other documents. Automation engineers develop automation software that is based on certain requirements for the involved process. They conform to local standards, international standards, and other process-oriented guidelines. Their duties also include the simulation and testing of automated machinery and processes. The must-have skills for this position include configuration software experience, scripting and coding expertise, certifications, and in-depth knowledge of technology.
A functional tester's main responsibility is to validate the behavior of an application and analyzed the requirements of the clients. They are skilled in Java and database design for software development. The tasks they do are complex, including scanning IDs of the receiver and serial numbers on each unit, testing the units to make sure they work properly, and checking for any defects and damages. They are also trained in using numerical codes for passing or failing each unit and writing serial numbers on the production tracker.
Automation engineers and functional testers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Engineer | Functional Tester | |
| Average salary | $92,597 | $76,647 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $121,000 | Between $61,000 And $94,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Bellevue, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Cerner |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an automation engineer and a functional tester in terms of educational background:
| Automation Engineer | Functional Tester | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between automation engineers' and functional testers' demographics:
| Automation Engineer | Functional Tester | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% | Male, 65.3% Female, 34.7% |
| 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% |