Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between functional testers and senior quality analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a functional tester and a senior quality analyst. Additionally, a senior quality analyst has an average salary of $89,722, which is higher than the $76,647 average annual salary of a functional tester.
The top three skills for a functional tester include java, test cases and web application. The most important skills for a senior quality analyst are data analysis, test cases, and QA.
| Functional Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $76,647 | $89,722 |
| Hourly rate | $36.85 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 37,146 | 126,363 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A functional tester's main responsibility is to validate the behavior of an application and analyzed the requirements of the clients. They are skilled in Java and database design for software development. The tasks they do are complex, including scanning IDs of the receiver and serial numbers on each unit, testing the units to make sure they work properly, and checking for any defects and damages. They are also trained in using numerical codes for passing or failing each unit and writing serial numbers on the production tracker.
A senior quality assurance analyst specializes in inspecting and assessing the quality of software and systems in a company, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include developing specific test structures, coordinating with different departments to gather data, troubleshooting, and studying client complaints to prevent issues from happening again. They may also perform regular maintenance checks, recommending solutions as needed. Furthermore, as a senior quality assurance analyst, it is essential to lead the quality assurance efforts on systems, all while serving as a mentor and role model to junior analysts.
Functional testers and senior quality analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Functional Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Average salary | $76,647 | $89,722 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $94,000 | Between $71,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellevue, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Cerner | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a functional tester and a senior quality analyst in terms of educational background:
| Functional Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between functional testers' and senior quality analysts' demographics:
| Functional Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.3% Female, 34.7% | Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2% |
| 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% |