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The differences between software testers and software 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 tester and a software engineer. Additionally, a software engineer has an average salary of $100,260, which is higher than the $78,580 average annual salary of a software tester.
The top three skills for a software tester include test results, regression and test scripts. The most important skills for a software engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Software Tester | Software Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,580 | $100,260 |
| Hourly rate | $37.78 | $48.20 |
| Growth rate | - | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 208,853 | 339,938 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The responsibility of software testers involves the quality assurance of software development and deployment. Software testers conduct manual and automated tests to make sure that the software is developed for its purpose. They remove the issues and bugs within a product before deployment to users. Their responsibilities include software and systems analysis, risk mitigation, and software-related issue prevention. They should have skills in automation, programming, social networking, logical thinking, and mobile and web technology.
A software engineer is a computer science professional who is responsible for the development of information systems, designing and building computer systems software and applications software. They often prefer to call themselves as a software developer or computer programmer. They have substantial knowledge of programming languages, software development, and computer operating systems, and other technologies. They use these to turn a plan into a final output. They can create a design, test, and develop software based on the needs of their clients.
Software testers and software engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Tester | Software Engineer | |
| Average salary | $78,580 | $100,260 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $100,000 | Between $73,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Nordstrom | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a software tester and a software engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Tester | Software Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software testers' and software engineers' demographics:
| Software Tester | Software Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.1% Female, 37.9% | Male, 78.0% Female, 22.0% |
| 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, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 34.0% White, 48.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |