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The differences between automation leads and senior 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 lead and a senior quality assurance tester. Additionally, an automation lead has an average salary of $106,261, which is higher than the $93,770 average annual salary of a senior quality assurance tester.
The top three skills for an automation lead include java, python and C++. The most important skills for a senior quality assurance tester are test cases, QA, and regression.
| Automation Lead | Senior Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Yearly salary | $106,261 | $93,770 |
| Hourly rate | $51.09 | $45.08 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 36,010 | 81,916 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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.
A senior quality assurance tester manages junior quality assurance staff. They test documents, lead testing procedures, and ensure customer satisfaction. They also work with an engineering development team to make updates to software.
Automation leads and senior quality assurance testers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Lead | Senior Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average salary | $106,261 | $93,770 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $137,000 | Between $73,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Sagarsoft | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between an automation lead and a senior quality assurance tester in terms of educational background:
| Automation Lead | Senior Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between automation leads' and senior quality assurance testers' demographics:
| Automation Lead | Senior Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% |
| 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% |