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The differences between design engineers and test engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a design engineer, becoming a test engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a test engineer has an average salary of $79,832, which is higher than the $77,134 average annual salary of a design engineer.
The top three skills for a design engineer include C++, UL and project management. The most important skills for a test engineer are python, C++, and C #.
| Design Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $77,134 | $79,832 |
| Hourly rate | $37.08 | $38.38 |
| Growth rate | 2% | - |
| Number of jobs | 138,173 | 228,974 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A design engineer is responsible for creating systems and applications based on their expertise. Design engineers work through client specifications based on business needs. A design engineer also provides recommendations on improving existing systems to boost its performance and increase efficiency. Design engineers must have an excellent command of computer systems, programming codes, and technical data to ensure the system's stability and high-quality processes. A design engineer should also have strong analytical and time-management skills to perform tasks and meet deadlines.
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.
Design engineers and test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $77,134 | $79,832 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $102,000 | Between $60,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a design engineer and a test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Design Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between design engineers' and test engineers' demographics:
| Design Engineer | Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 11% |