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The differences between automation testers and software development engineers 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 tester and a software development engineer. Additionally, a software development engineer has an average salary of $109,147, which is higher than the $82,429 average annual salary of an automation tester.
The top three skills for an automation tester include java, jenkins and QA. The most important skills for a software development engineer are java, software development, and AWS.
| Automation Tester | Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,429 | $109,147 |
| Hourly rate | $39.63 | $52.47 |
| Growth rate | - | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 47,656 | 356,971 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An automation tester is responsible for evaluating automated system processes to ensure its stability and efficiency to support business functions and operational development. Automation testers create reports on findings, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the procedures, and providing recommendations for process improvement. They also join the technology team on conducting system configuration and improving system infrastructure, resolving network issues, and designing automation tools. An automation tester must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as network navigation and programming codes, enhancing technical frameworks for optimization.
A software development engineer is responsible for designing and developing software systems and applications based on clients' specifications and business needs. Software development engineers manage operating systems and analyze network codes to maintain the compatibility of the software applications and control systems. They also run diagnostic tests for every software structure to ensure smooth navigations and perform immediate troubleshooting for inconsistencies. A software development engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, as well as technological processes and analytical skills.
Automation testers and software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Tester | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,429 | $109,147 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $107,000 | Between $80,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Ramon, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | California |
| Best paying company | Bloomberg | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an automation tester and a software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Automation Tester | Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between automation testers' and software development engineers' demographics:
| Automation Tester | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.6% Female, 36.4% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 32.7% White, 49.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |