Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between automation testers and test 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 test engineer. Additionally, an automation tester has an average salary of $82,429, which is higher than the $79,832 average annual salary of a test engineer.
The top three skills for an automation tester include java, jenkins and QA. The most important skills for a test engineer are python, C++, and C #.
| Automation Tester | Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,429 | $79,832 |
| Hourly rate | $39.63 | $38.38 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 47,656 | 228,974 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| 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.
Test engineers are professionals who observe and record the quality of products, which includes functionality, durability, speed, and safety. They are responsible for checking the materials and procedures thoroughly throughout the production cycle. It is their duty to run tests on different criteria to identify and fix technical issues. They analyze reactions to determine the causes of malfunctions and recommend potential improvements. Moreover, they test products before they are launched to ensure customers get high-quality and functional products.
Automation testers and test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Tester | Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,429 | $79,832 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $107,000 | Between $60,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Ramon, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | California |
| Best paying company | Bloomberg | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an automation tester and a test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Automation Tester | Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between automation testers' and test engineers' demographics:
| Automation Tester | Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.6% Female, 36.4% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| 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% |