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The differences between principal test engineers and system 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 system test engineer. Additionally, a principal test engineer has an average salary of $116,493, which is higher than the $100,751 average annual salary of a system test engineer.
The top three skills for a principal test engineer include python, C++ and java. The most important skills for a system test engineer are python, test procedures, and C++.
| Principal Test Engineer | System Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $116,493 | $100,751 |
| Hourly rate | $56.01 | $48.44 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 96,539 | 131,653 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| 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.
A system test engineer is responsible for performing diagnostic tests on computer systems and applications, measuring its performance and efficiency, and recommending technical solutions as needed. System test engineers assist in system configuration and network infrastructure, ensuring that the deliverables meet the business requirements and project specifications. They should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command of programming languages, to automate scripts for quality check methodologies. A system test engineer coordinates with the technology team in improving the user interface, including navigation and server stability.
Principal test engineers and system test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Test Engineer | System Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $116,493 | $100,751 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $159,000 | Between $76,000 And $132,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Petaluma, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between a principal test engineer and a system test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Principal Test Engineer | System Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between principal test engineers' and system test engineers' demographics:
| Principal Test Engineer | System Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| 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% |