Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between automation leads and lead test technicians 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 lead and a lead test technician. Additionally, an automation lead has an average salary of $106,261, which is higher than the $81,566 average annual salary of a lead test technician.
The top three skills for an automation lead include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a lead test technician are java, QA, and test strategy.
| Automation Lead | Lead Test Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $106,261 | $81,566 |
| Hourly rate | $51.09 | $39.21 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 36,010 | 51,060 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An Automation Lead is primarily in charge of testing and operating automated machinery in manufacturing facilities. They typically work together with automation teams, adhere to guidelines and protocols, meet project requirements, and produce progress reports. There are also instances when an automation lead may participate in conceptualizing machinery, conducting research and analyses, and addressing issues and concerns. Moreover, an Automation Lead usually works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Lead test technicians are professionals who are responsible for leading a group of test professionals to test products and report their findings to engineers or product developers. These technicians are required to design and develop test plans and procedures so that they can validate the requirements of products. They are required to use various test equipment as well as to conduct maintenance to ensure the product's functionality and quality. Lead test technicians must also gather and analyze user feedback to improve the overall user experience and satisfaction.
Automation leads and lead test technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Lead | Lead Test Technician | |
| Average salary | $106,261 | $81,566 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $137,000 | Between $65,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Macy's | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an automation lead and a lead test technician in terms of educational background:
| Automation Lead | Lead Test Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between automation leads' and lead test technicians' demographics:
| Automation Lead | Lead Test Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% | Male, 70.3% Female, 29.7% |
| 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% |