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The differences between staff test engineers and senior staff engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a staff test engineer, becoming a senior staff engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior staff engineer has an average salary of $136,031, which is higher than the $115,935 average annual salary of a staff test engineer.
The top three skills for a staff test engineer include C++, data analysis and test results. The most important skills for a senior staff engineer are python, java, and architecture.
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $115,935 | $136,031 |
| Hourly rate | $55.74 | $65.40 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 123,176 | 239,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A staff test engineer is responsible for setting guidelines for a test plan. They also monitor technicians and other expert engineers. They frequently collaborate with other engineering staff to develop comprehensive testability requirements. They review and suggests testability modules.
A senior staff engineer is responsible for supervising a team of engineers, chemists, software developers, or molecular biologists. His/Her or her responsibilities include generating Structured Query Language (SQL) performance audit checklist template, creating SQL data query routines and functions for data extraction, and working directly with stakeholders. The job requires strong mechanical, listening, and mathematical skills and proficiency in Python programming language and computer architecture and hardware. The education requirements for the job include a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, business, mechanical engineering, or a related field.
Staff test engineers and senior staff engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Average salary | $115,935 | $136,031 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $153,000 | Between $95,000 And $194,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a staff test engineer and a senior staff engineer in terms of educational background:
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | California State Polytechnic University, Pomona |
Here are the differences between staff test engineers' and senior staff engineers' demographics:
| Staff Test Engineer | Senior Staff Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.8% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 5% |