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The differences between software test analysts and quality assurance testers 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 test analyst and a quality assurance tester. Additionally, a software test analyst has an average salary of $78,713, which is higher than the $74,140 average annual salary of a quality assurance tester.
The top three skills for a software test analyst include test scripts, test results and regression. The most important skills for a quality assurance tester are manual test cases, regression, and test scripts.
| Software Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Yearly salary | $78,713 | $74,140 |
| Hourly rate | $37.84 | $35.64 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 94,928 | 82,396 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Software test analysts negotiate testing criteria, conduct tests, and report the data gathered from testing. They collaborate with customers and vendors to clarify use cases for the test products. They use this information to formulate testing protocols and to ensure software meets users' expectations.
A quality assurance tester, also known as QA tester, has different responsibilities depending on the line of work or industry involved. In a computer development setting, they are in charge of working and coordinating with technical engineers. They have to conduct regular tests for new software and programs, identify inconsistencies, and find areas for improvement. Furthermore, a quality assurance tester must produce reports from the tests, which can be the basis of progress for further developments.
Software test analysts and quality assurance testers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average salary | $78,713 | $74,140 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $100,000 | Between $55,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maryland |
| Best paying company | IDEXX | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a software test analyst and a quality assurance tester in terms of educational background:
| Software Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between software test analysts' and quality assurance testers' demographics:
| Software Test Analyst | Quality Assurance Tester | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.4% Female, 40.6% | Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8% |
| 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% |