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The differences between senior software engineers lead 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 senior software engineer lead and a senior test engineer. Additionally, a senior software engineer lead has an average salary of $129,060, which is higher than the $82,775 average annual salary of a senior test engineer.
The top three skills for a senior software engineer lead include java, architecture and software development. The most important skills for a senior test engineer are test cases, python, and java.
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $129,060 | $82,775 |
| Hourly rate | $62.05 | $39.80 |
| Growth rate | 21% | - |
| Number of jobs | 322,973 | 245,814 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior software engineer lead is responsible for overseeing the software creation process. They analyze projects, rectify errors, interpret project requirements, and develop detailed designs. They must create reports of all weekly tasks and ensure best practices are followed by their team.
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.
Senior software engineers lead and senior test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $129,060 | $82,775 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $173,000 | Between $63,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | PitchBook Data | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior software engineer lead and a senior test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between senior software engineers lead' and senior test engineers' demographics:
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Senior Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.0% Female, 21.0% | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 33.4% White, 48.9% 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 | 8% | 11% |