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The differences between production support analysts and test analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a production support analyst, becoming a test analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a production support analyst has an average salary of $74,571, which is higher than the $70,997 average annual salary of a test analyst.
The top three skills for a production support analyst include application support, management system and java. The most important skills for a test analyst are test scripts, test plan, and regression.
| Production Support Analyst | Test Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $74,571 | $70,997 |
| Hourly rate | $35.85 | $34.13 |
| Growth rate | 10% | - |
| Number of jobs | 178,536 | 91,308 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A production support analyst is responsible for supporting the information technology team on improving network infrastructures, performing systems configurations, and resolving technical issues. Production support analysts inspect inconsistencies on network systems, strategizing techniques to stabilize and maintain the efficiency of various software applications and hardware tools. They analyze the current technology trends and look for opportunities to design new technology solutions that would maximize the company's productivity and improve business operations. A production support analyst also creates reports on system findings for reference, including recommendations to prevent the reoccurrence of glitches and defects.
The duties of a test analyst depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In the information technology setting, a test analyst is responsible for testing computer software or hardware to ensure its quality before being released in the market. They participate in the development process to monitor the product specifications, review and analyze documentation, and create test systems, implementing them promptly and efficiently. As a test analyst, it is essential to produce progress reports, prepare presentations, and even give recommendations.
Production support analysts and test analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Support Analyst | Test Analyst | |
| Average salary | $74,571 | $70,997 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $90,000 | Between $56,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redmond, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | General Motors |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a production support analyst and a test analyst in terms of educational background:
| Production Support Analyst | Test Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between production support analysts' and test analysts' demographics:
| Production Support Analyst | Test Analyst | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.7% Female, 33.3% | Male, 55.2% Female, 44.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |