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The differences between automation test engineers and test analysts 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 test engineer and a test analyst. Additionally, an automation test engineer has an average salary of $85,353, which is higher than the $70,997 average annual salary of a test analyst.
The top three skills for an automation test engineer include java, python and jenkins. The most important skills for a test analyst are test scripts, test plan, and regression.
| Automation Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $85,353 | $70,997 |
| Hourly rate | $41.04 | $34.13 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 125,816 | 91,308 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Automation Test Engineers are licensed professionals who work with clients on various IT or engineering-related activities. They are part of the growing automation industry. They create software solutions related to the automation of processes, and they work with clients to identify automation opportunities based on the existing software, hardware, and other processes. They have to understand their clients' needs and find the appropriate software solutions based on the clients' needs. Automation test engineers help design these software solutions. The majority of their work is related to testing these software solutions. They conduct quality checks to ensure that the software solution is working properly. They also check whether the software solution truly addresses the clients' needs.
The duties of a test analyst depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In the information technology setting, a test analyst is responsible for testing computer software or hardware to ensure its quality before being released in the market. They participate in the development process to monitor the product specifications, review and analyze documentation, and create test systems, implementing them promptly and efficiently. As a test analyst, it is essential to produce progress reports, prepare presentations, and even give recommendations.
Automation test engineers and test analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Average salary | $85,353 | $70,997 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $112,000 | Between $56,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Apple | General Motors |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an automation test engineer and a test analyst in terms of educational background:
| Automation Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between automation test engineers' and test analysts' demographics:
| Automation Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.8% Female, 26.2% | Male, 55.2% Female, 44.8% |
| 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% |