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The differences between principal test engineers and software 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 principal test engineer and a software test engineer. Additionally, a principal test engineer has an average salary of $116,493, which is higher than the $85,338 average annual salary of a software test engineer.
The top three skills for a principal test engineer include python, C++ and java. The most important skills for a software test engineer are python, java, and test automation.
| Principal Test Engineer | Software Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $116,493 | $85,338 |
| Hourly rate | $56.01 | $41.03 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 96,539 | 243,382 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Software engineers are responsible for coordinating the process of analyzing computer software programs. This process requires creating and implementing testing methods, documenting the test results, and providing recommendations for software improvements. They are also responsible for other tasks, including writing software testing procedures and creating testing scripts using different programming languages. A software engineer also collaborates with software developers and other staff members from the start and completion of a particular project. Having a bachelor's degree in software engineering, computer science, or information technology is needed to become a software engineer.
Principal test engineers and software test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Test Engineer | Software Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $116,493 | $85,338 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $159,000 | Between $63,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a principal test engineer and a software test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Test Engineer | Software Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between principal test engineers' and software test engineers' demographics:
| Principal Test Engineer | Software Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 68.6% Female, 31.4% |
| 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, 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% |