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The differences between automation engineers and quality assurance 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 quality assurance tester. Additionally, an automation engineer has an average salary of $92,597, which is higher than the $74,140 average annual salary of a quality assurance tester.
The top three skills for an automation engineer include python, java and PLC. The most important skills for a quality assurance tester are manual test cases, regression, and test scripts.
| Automation Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Yearly salary | $92,597 | $74,140 |
| Hourly rate | $44.52 | $35.64 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 133,941 | 82,396 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| 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 quality assurance tester, also known as QA tester, has different responsibilities depending on the line of work or industry involved. In a computer development setting, they are in charge of working and coordinating with technical engineers. They have to conduct regular tests for new software and programs, identify inconsistencies, and find areas for improvement. Furthermore, a quality assurance tester must produce reports from the tests, which can be the basis of progress for further developments.
Automation engineers and quality assurance testers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average salary | $92,597 | $74,140 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $121,000 | Between $55,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between an automation engineer and a quality assurance tester in terms of educational background:
| Automation Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between automation engineers' and quality assurance testers' demographics:
| Automation Engineer | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% | Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8% |
| 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% |