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The differences between firmware test engineers and senior 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 a firmware test engineer and a senior test engineer. Additionally, a firmware test engineer has an average salary of $84,319, which is higher than the $82,775 average annual salary of a senior test engineer.
The top three skills for a firmware test engineer include python, firmware and test automation. The most important skills for a senior test engineer are test cases, python, and java.
| Firmware Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,319 | $82,775 |
| Hourly rate | $40.54 | $39.80 |
| Growth rate | 5% | - |
| Number of jobs | 25,699 | 245,814 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Firmware engineers are technical experts who work on programming various devices. They have extensive knowledge of coding and software development. Firmware engineers must understand several programming languages, with the specifics depending on their industry. Designing code and testing proper functionality are additional job responsibilities.
A senior test engineer is an individual who is responsible for developing and implementing cost-effective methods of testing and troubleshooting computer systems and equipment. Senior test engineers must assist junior engineers in developing test plans and conducting testing activities on complex systems to meet program requirements. They aid in the areas of predictability, manufacturing processing, and improvement in the equipment and process. Senior test engineers must also develop proposal inputs and reviews documents generated by junior engineers.
Firmware test engineers and senior test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Firmware Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,319 | $82,775 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $114,000 | Between $63,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a firmware test engineer and a senior test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Firmware Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between firmware test engineers' and senior test engineers' demographics:
| Firmware Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% |
| 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% |