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The differences between senior test engineers and lead engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior test engineer, becoming a lead engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead engineer has an average salary of $84,927, which is higher than the $82,775 average annual salary of a senior test engineer.
The top three skills for a senior test engineer include test cases, python and java. The most important skills for a lead engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,775 | $84,927 |
| Hourly rate | $39.80 | $40.83 |
| Growth rate | - | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 245,814 | 301,777 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
A lead engineer's duties vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities will revolve around overseeing the progress of operations and performance of the workforce, ensuring that everything is running smoothly. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, assessing risks, monitoring the budget, coordinating with clients and architects, and even training workers. Furthermore, as a lead engineer, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections to ensure the quality of work and maintain a safe environment for all workers.
Senior test engineers and lead engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,775 | $84,927 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $107,000 | Between $60,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior test engineer and a lead engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior test engineers' and lead engineers' demographics:
| Senior Test Engineer | Lead Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 90.8% Female, 9.2% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |