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The differences between junior test engineers and automation 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 junior test engineer and an automation test engineer. Additionally, an automation test engineer has an average salary of $85,353, which is higher than the $69,443 average annual salary of a junior test engineer.
The top three skills for a junior test engineer include java, test results and C #. The most important skills for an automation test engineer are java, python, and jenkins.
| Junior Test Engineer | Automation Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $69,443 | $85,353 |
| Hourly rate | $33.39 | $41.04 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 72,077 | 125,816 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Junior Test Engineer specializes in developing and implementing quality control tests that ensure product quality and efficiency. They work together with product design teams, determine test parameters, conduct research and analyses, establish guidelines, troubleshoot issues, develop strategies to optimize operations, and create test plans while adhering to the company's standards and regulations. A Junior Test Engineer typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Automation Test Engineers are licensed professionals who work with clients on various IT or engineering-related activities. They are part of the growing automation industry. They create software solutions related to the automation of processes, and they work with clients to identify automation opportunities based on the existing software, hardware, and other processes. They have to understand their clients' needs and find the appropriate software solutions based on the clients' needs. Automation test engineers help design these software solutions. The majority of their work is related to testing these software solutions. They conduct quality checks to ensure that the software solution is working properly. They also check whether the software solution truly addresses the clients' needs.
Junior test engineers and automation test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Test Engineer | Automation Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $69,443 | $85,353 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $83,000 | Between $64,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Sony Interactive Entertainment America | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior test engineer and an automation test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Test Engineer | Automation Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between junior test engineers' and automation test engineers' demographics:
| Junior Test Engineer | Automation Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.2% Female, 34.8% | Male, 73.8% Female, 26.2% |
| 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% |