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The differences between manufacturing 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 manufacturing test engineer and a senior test engineer. Additionally, a manufacturing test engineer has an average salary of $98,285, which is higher than the $82,775 average annual salary of a senior test engineer.
The top three skills for a manufacturing test engineer include test equipment, labview and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a senior test engineer are test cases, python, and java.
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,285 | $82,775 |
| Hourly rate | $47.25 | $39.80 |
| Growth rate | 10% | - |
| Number of jobs | 64,188 | 245,814 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A manufacturing test engineer specializes in designing and developing test structures to ensure the quality of products according to the company's policies and standards. Their responsibilities include coordinating with the design team to determine test parameters, producing test documentation, troubleshooting, and performing quality assurance procedures. A manufacturing test engineer must also assess the existing test procedures to identify its strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions as needed. Furthermore, they may assist the quality assurance teams in conducting tests, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Manufacturing test engineers and senior test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,285 | $82,775 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $134,000 | Between $63,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing test engineer and a senior test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between manufacturing test engineers' and senior test engineers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Test Engineer | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 15.5% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 4% | 11% |