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The differences between principal test engineers and principal engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a principal test engineer, becoming a principal engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal engineer has an average salary of $130,213, which is higher than the $116,493 average annual salary of a principal test engineer.
The top three skills for a principal test engineer include python, C++ and java. The most important skills for a principal engineer are java, architecture, and python.
| Principal Test Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $116,493 | $130,213 |
| Hourly rate | $56.01 | $62.60 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 96,539 | 312,683 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Principal Test Engineers test automation tools and frameworks like Selenium, Appium, and Ranorex. They make sure that the software their companies offer is safe and reliable for consumer use. Being a principal test engineer requires testing to influence better software design, promoting good engineering practice, security, testability, scalability, drafting bug prevention strategies, and reliability. They are responsible for defining test goals, preparing and executing system-level functional tests, providing new project forecasts based on the provided information, and improving the current test solutions by reducing the test time, repeat tests, and yield analysis.
A principal engineer is responsible for monitoring the overall design phase of the construction process, including coordinating with the client for progress and updates, as well as performing adjustments as needed based on clients' specifications and requirements. Principal engineers also inspect the materials and resources used to ensure that the project stays within the budget goals and set timeframe. They should have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in preparing reports and training new staff.
Principal test engineers and principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Test Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $116,493 | $130,213 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $159,000 | Between $95,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Grubhub |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal test engineer and a principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Test Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between principal test engineers' and principal engineers' demographics:
| Principal Test Engineer | Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.6% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |