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The differences between senior testers 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 tester and a senior quality analyst. Additionally, a senior quality analyst has an average salary of $89,722, which is higher than the $84,660 average annual salary of a senior tester.
The top three skills for a senior tester include java, test results and linux. The most important skills for a senior quality analyst are data analysis, test cases, and QA.
| Senior Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $84,660 | $89,722 |
| Hourly rate | $40.70 | $43.14 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 36,535 | 126,363 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Senior testers are professionals who supervise junior-level testers that conduct testing for computer software for errors or any problems faced by end-users. These testers must attend discussion meetings to review and analyze business requirements and technical specifications with developers and business users. They must work with the quality assurance (QA) team to identify discrepancies and test the new application. Senior testers must also gather test results and document all defects to create the test completion document as per the requirement of end-users.
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 testers and senior quality analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Average salary | $84,660 | $89,722 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $114,000 | Between $71,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Amazon | |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior tester and a senior quality analyst in terms of educational background:
| Senior Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior testers' and senior quality analysts' demographics:
| Senior Tester | Senior Quality Analyst | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.5% Female, 32.5% | 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% |