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The differences between software designers and software quality 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 software designer and a software quality engineer. Additionally, a software designer has an average salary of $107,449, which is higher than the $99,902 average annual salary of a software quality engineer.
The top three skills for a software designer include python, java and software development. The most important skills for a software quality engineer are software quality, java, and python.
| Software Designer | Software Quality Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,449 | $99,902 |
| Hourly rate | $51.66 | $48.03 |
| Growth rate | 21% | - |
| Number of jobs | 313,443 | 279,437 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Software designers transform customers' requirements into services. They analyze customers' needs, conduct negotiations, and create designs based on that data. They typically work with teams of programmers. They are also responsible for creating project documentation.
A Software Quality Engineer ensures that the software of a company meets all quality standards. They are responsible for software development, inspection, implementation, testing, and verification.
Software designers and software quality engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Designer | Software Quality Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,449 | $99,902 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $144,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Globant | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software designer and a software quality engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Designer | Software Quality Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between software designers' and software quality engineers' demographics:
| Software Designer | Software Quality Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.0% Female, 20.0% | Male, 67.3% Female, 32.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% 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% |