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The differences between senior software engineers lead 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 senior software engineer lead and a software test engineer. Additionally, a senior software engineer lead has an average salary of $129,060, which is higher than the $85,338 average annual salary of a software test engineer.
The top three skills for a senior software engineer lead include java, architecture and software development. The most important skills for a software test engineer are python, java, and test automation.
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Software Test Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $129,060 | $85,338 |
| Hourly rate | $62.05 | $41.03 |
| Growth rate | 21% | - |
| Number of jobs | 322,973 | 243,382 |
| 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.
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.
Senior software engineers lead and software test engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Software Test Engineer | |
| Average salary | $129,060 | $85,338 |
| Salary range | Between $96,000 And $173,000 | Between $63,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | PitchBook Data | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a senior software engineer lead and a software test engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Software Test Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between senior software engineers lead' and software test engineers' demographics:
| Senior Software Engineer Lead | Software Test Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.0% Female, 21.0% | Male, 68.6% Female, 31.4% |
| 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% |