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The differences between senior test engineers and test 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 test analyst. Additionally, a senior test engineer has an average salary of $82,775, which is higher than the $70,997 average annual salary of a test analyst.
The top three skills for a senior test engineer include test cases, python and java. The most important skills for a test analyst are test scripts, test plan, and regression.
| Senior Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $82,775 | $70,997 |
| Hourly rate | $39.80 | $34.13 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 245,814 | 91,308 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| 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.
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.
Senior test engineers and test analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Average salary | $82,775 | $70,997 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $107,000 | Between $56,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | General Motors | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior test engineer and a test analyst in terms of educational background:
| Senior Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior test engineers' and test analysts' demographics:
| Senior Test Engineer | Test Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 55.2% Female, 44.8% |
| 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% |