Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lead software testers and senior quality assurance 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 lead software tester and a senior quality assurance engineer. Additionally, a senior quality assurance engineer has an average salary of $106,802, which is higher than the $100,101 average annual salary of a lead software tester.
The top three skills for a lead software tester include test cases, software development and scrum. The most important skills for a senior quality assurance engineer are QA, java, and python.
| Lead Software Tester | Senior Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $100,101 | $106,802 |
| Hourly rate | $48.13 | $51.35 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 229,582 | 254,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A software tester is responsible for performing manual and automated tests to ensure that all software meets quality standards. Their tasks include analyzing and reviewing software and creating solutions for possible risk. Software testing is a process of verifying a computer program and determining if it meets guidelines. This career is essential because it is a significant factor in producing a standardized product.
A senior quality assurance engineer oversees the testing procedures conducted in software development, ensuring technical accuracy and efficiency. They are primarily responsible for working alongside software designers and quality engineers, reviewing quality control reports, inspecting specifications, and devising particular test procedures. Moreover, it is also essential to troubleshoot issues and identify any inconsistencies or bugs. As someone with more experience in the team, they must supervise and serve as a mentor to the younger quality assurance engineers in the joint effort to develop efficient software.
Lead software testers and senior quality assurance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Software Tester | Senior Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $100,101 | $106,802 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $129,000 | Between $82,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zscaler | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a lead software tester and a senior quality assurance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Software Tester | Senior Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between lead software testers' and senior quality assurance engineers' demographics:
| Lead Software Tester | Senior Quality Assurance Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.5% Female, 32.5% | Male, 68.0% Female, 32.0% |
| 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% |