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The differences between senior test engineers and senior quality analysts 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 test engineer and a senior quality analyst. Additionally, a senior quality analyst has an average salary of $89,722, 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 senior quality analyst are data analysis, test cases, and QA.
| Senior Test Engineer | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $82,775 | $89,722 |
| Hourly rate | $39.80 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 245,814 | 126,363 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 senior quality assurance analyst specializes in inspecting and assessing the quality of software and systems in a company, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include developing specific test structures, coordinating with different departments to gather data, troubleshooting, and studying client complaints to prevent issues from happening again. They may also perform regular maintenance checks, recommending solutions as needed. Furthermore, as a senior quality assurance analyst, it is essential to lead the quality assurance efforts on systems, all while serving as a mentor and role model to junior analysts.
Senior test engineers and senior quality analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Test Engineer | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Average salary | $82,775 | $89,722 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $107,000 | Between $71,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Delaware |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior test engineer and a senior quality analyst in terms of educational background:
| Senior Test Engineer | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior test engineers' and senior quality analysts' demographics:
| Senior Test Engineer | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 42.8% Female, 57.2% |
| 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, 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% |